"Starry Night" vs. "The Potato Eaters"
July 27, 2007I was probably eleven years old when I started asking my father, an artist (and a great one), about Vincent Van Gogh. "Starry Night" amazed me even though I only saw pictures of it in art history books, postcards, posters, and on the covers of blank cards. I was sure that seeing the real thing would be extremely mind-blowing. I liked "Starry Night" so much that I think, one day, my admiration for the famous Vincent Van Gogh painting led my dad to decide that he's going to make his own version of it.
And so he did. And I can see a beautiful "Starry Night" à la Peria whenever I want. It's resting against one of the walls of our family room. Sometimes you'll see me sitting on the sofa and assume I'm just watching TV, but sometimes I find myself just staring at its beauty.
Me and my dad… We're not as close as we used to be. I think it's partially because of the fact that I've grown up. And partially because we disagree about a lot of things. Like, let's see… my studies, my eating out habits, my being a squanderer, my extremely messy nature when it comes to my bedroom, etc. But if there was one thing that we agree about, that one thing would be ART.
We talk about art quite frequently. Even more lately because I just saw IT. "Starry Night." Finally. (Thank you, Mr. BF, for taking me to the Museum of Modern Art). It was a great moment. One that I will always remember. So great that I'll probably grow old and senile one day, but I'll force myself to keep that memory in my head. So here's how it happened, my first encounter. I entered the gallery, holding the hand of the man I love, and I knew where it was because there was a crowd of people admiring it, looking at it. I looked around at the other pieces closer to the doorway first, Matisse, Picasso, and then I couldn't stand it anymore. It really drew me in. Like a force I couldn't control from taking over.
And there it was. (more…)
