Van Gogh Is Being Dragged Online, And Social Media Users Are Not Having It
Image via Shutterstock
Vincent van Gogh never received external validation for his talent, as appreciation for his art only picked up after his death. 130 years after his passing, the misunderstood painter is getting another round of contention, but this time around, he’s being fiercely defended by stans.
A heated online debate ensued after a Twitter user named Margarita said the Dutch post-Impressionist was “overrated.” To back up her claim, she compared Van Gogh’s 1888 Café Terrace at Night with a 1962 painting of the same establishment by artist Haixia Liu.
“Haixia Liu… paints Van Gogh more skillfully than Van Gogh…” the Twitter user alleged. “[We] should expose how overrated Van Gogh is.”
The Twitter user seemed to gauge superiority on how realistic a painting is. However, as many are aware, realism is just one of countless genres of art.
“He’s not trying to paint a photo,” one person commented.
“Are we really saying Van Gogh was a bad artist now because he didn’t paint hyper realistically?” another Twitter user responded. “Way to completely miss the point of why Van Gogh painted in the way that he did in the first place,” they added.
The latter appeared to be referencing how Impressionism started as a rebuttal to the expectation that paintings should look as close to real figures and landscapes as possible. Van Gogh and other like-minded frustrated creatives sought to shake up the scene by leaving colors unblended and filling art with shorter brush strokes.
Artist Ameorry Luo, who identified herself as the niece of Haixia Liu, called for internet users to end the “moronic” debate and stop condemning both Van Gogh and her uncle. “1) I absolutely adore Van Gogh, and 2) Haixia Liu is literally my uncle and his paintings are an absolute wonder,” she added. “So can the Van Gogh stans also stop slandering my uncle’s work? Thanks lol.”
Luckily, more people have come to embrace the abstract along with realism (read: hyperrealistic virtual avatars), because where would the world be without its Basquiats and Keith Harings too?
Haixia Liu, 1962, (left) paints Van Gogh more skillfully than Van Gogh (right).
— Margarita (@margaritaevna95) August 7, 2020
Should expose how overrated Van Gogh is. pic.twitter.com/ZJMsHtGmPU
Yeah, no, no Van Gogh slander in this house please pic.twitter.com/7RGm6gtwMq
— moth god (@toastsandwichh) August 31, 2020
yes!!! and also a good reminder: pic.twitter.com/QUVo8IFGzG
— saluth (@isaluth) August 31, 2020
Are we really saying Van Gogh was a bad artist now because he didn't paint hyper realistically. Is that what we're doing now.
— 🌿💀Pooka💀🌿 (@Spooky_Pooka) August 31, 2020
Way to completely miss the point of why Van Gogh painted in the way that he did in the first place.
doctor who didn’t create one of it’s best episodes ever on vincent van gogh for y’all to slander his name pic.twitter.com/CwLf985lxF
— olivia ⏳ (@lokifitz) August 31, 2020
Van Gogh is an impressionist so u dont expect him to paint more realistic paintings. All his art are based on his state of mind and emotions
— Each a Prank (@justIive) September 1, 2020
This debate is too moronic to even delve into but for the record, 1) I absolutely adore Van Gogh, and 2) Haixia Liu is literally my uncle and his paintings are an absolute wonder, so can the Van Gogh stans also stop slandering my uncle's work, thanks lol https://t.co/Uv7EUVEKWc
— 罗薇 Ameorry Luo (@dustandhalos) August 31, 2020
[via Observer, cover image via Shutterstock]
