Matthew Wong – Vincent van Gogh: Painting as a Last Resort

A beautifully illustrated exploration of the artistic and personal connections between Matthew Wong (1984–2019) and Vincent van Gogh.

Shortly before his early death, the Chinese-Canadian artist Matthew Wong (1984–2019) emerged as a phenomenon. He started drawing and painting in 2011, at the age of 27, and within the space of just a few years had developed a highly personal style, using intense colours to paint imaginative landscapes.

Wong’s expressively lyrical works were inspired by both traditional Chinese painting and Western art. He was especially influenced by Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), not only in terms of his painting style and choice of motifs, but also in some aspects of his life. Both artists were self-taught, acquiring their drawing and painting skills without tuition, and both faced mental health issues. Wong saw his own life reflected in that of Van Gogh, and once said: ‘I see myself in him. The impossibility of belonging in this world.’

Published to accompany the exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, this book explores the artistic and personal connection between the two artists, bringing around 45 paintings and drawings by Wong into dialogue with a group of Van Gogh masterpieces. Kenny Schachter, who knew Matthew Wong, contributes a personal introduction, which is followed by essays exploring the artists’ biographical and artistic kinship.

About the Author

Kenny Schachter is a New York-based artist, writer and curator. Joost van der Hoeven is a researcher at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Richard Shiff is Chair in Art at The University of Texas at Austin. His seminal publication Cézanne and the End of Impressionism explored the relationship between late 19th-century artists and their subjective relation to reality as a source for their art. John Yau is an American poet and art critic. Sofia Silva is an artist based in Padua, Italy. Her correspondence with Matthew Wong began in 2017.