This year marks the creation of the first feature film to be made entirely from paintings.
Loving Vincent by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, is a one part Kickstarter, one part oil-painting revival collaboration between the UK and Poland.
The project employed over 100 painters to bring the mysterious circumstances of Vincent Van Gogh’s untimely death to life onscreen. The film features recreations of famous Van Gogh paintings and uses animation to give them new dimensions.
People of all ages showed up to the theatre, including a little girl who brought a Van Gogh plushie that came complete with removable ear and everything. Ever since the film was announced last year, there has been buzz around it in the art and film community, many curious to see how it would play out.
One year after van Gogh’s death, Armand Roulin, a painted subject of Van Gogh’s, asked around to get information on his mysterious suicide while attempting to send one last letter to Theo –Van Gogh’s brother.
By using his art to reimagine his story, I feel like Loving Vincent turns Vincent Van Gogh’s wishes into reality when the film closes with his words: “I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly’.”
The film plays out as a mystery novel, introducing villagers in Arles, Van Gogh’s home in France, who all have different takes on his mental state, relationships, habits and love of art.
Exploring Van Gogh’s life through his interactions with people never reveals his true self, but instead paints him with a variety of different brushstrokes that almost seem to mimic his iconicart style. Vincent’s story is dynamic, complicated and refuses to be pinned down.
The film alternated styles to differentiate time. Within the flashback sequences, a more realistic, black and white art style was used, but all scenes in the present used Van Gogh’s unique and distinct brushstrokes, as if the present was influenced by Vincent even after his death – and had a hand in shaping the way in which others saw the world.
Sitting in the theatre, seeing such iconic paintings as Starry Night and his self-portrait start to move was a sign in itself that the world’s fascination with this lonely Dutch man was not about to go away. In fact, it has evolved into something beyond oil on canvas.
Even though there is a plot, the art steals the show. It was surreal to see Van Gogh’s paintings in motion.
Every time a painting was referenced in the film, the audience took a collective breath in recognition. It felt like we were taking part in something very personal and special.
By using his art to reimagine his story, I feel like Loving Vincent turns Vincent Van Gogh’s wishes into reality when the film closes with his words: “I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly’.”