I still remember being as a kid and saw Van Gogh’s Starry Night for the first time, I was immediately intrigued by the unique technique that the artist used to portray the blue starry night. The curving, swirling lines of hills, mountains, and sky, the brilliantly contrasting blues and yellows, the large, flame-shape cypress trees, and the thickly layered brushstrokes were engrained in my mind for years, and I would never grow tired of enjoying this piece. I have never thought of seeing the authentic painting until this opportunity to visit the Museum of Modern Art. So after the tour in Charles White exhibit, I could not wait to search for the Starry Night.
I found the piece on the fifth floor where collects all the expressionism artwork. Interestingly, my first view was not the painting itself, but a crowd of people gathering in front of an independent wall. Compared to other paintings in the room, the Starry Night seemed to throw off a magic attraction that drew people toward it.Surly it was not only because of its world-renowned fame, but also because of the real artistic value that it contains.
As many people may hear of, Van Gogh was a “crazy” artist who suffered with mental health issues throughout his life. The story of Van Gogh cutting off his ear after a fight with his friend, the French artist Paul Gauguin, is one of the most popular anecdotes in art history. Keeping with his reputation as a crazy artist, Van Gogh was committed to a mental health asylum in Arles after the ear incident with Gauguin. It is said that Van Gogh painted the Starry Night while in the mental hospital, the painting is actually the view he had from his window. Taking a closer look at the Starry Night, the abstract portrayal of the swirls of river-like wind, the seemingly enlarging stars and the gigantic cypress trees may all be perceived as an reflection of the artist’s turbulent state-of-mind. Moreover, the variations of blue, yellow and black color convey Van Gogh’s isolation embedded deep in his heart. I was surprised when knowing that the Starry Night can actually give certain therapeutic effect to people with depression. Perhaps it is the magic connection that bridges those people with what Van Gogh attempted to exhibit in the Starry Night, the peaceful resonance that they found in the piece pacified their heart.
As one of my favorite paintings, the Starry Night did not disappoint me, yet sparked another new perspective in me to appreciate the it through its masterly crafted details as well as the story behind it.
