I feel a special connection to Van Gogh’s art. The vibrancy the complementary colors as well as the detached-from-reality aspect of his canvasses strikes a chord with me. And when I look at many of his paintings at this exhibit, it reminds me of the psychotic state I was in during my 2007 meltdown. Colors pulsating. Off-kilter perspective. Vibrating lines. Oscillation.
The tortured artist. There’s a reason why we hear that cliché over and over again. It’s true. Many of the greatest artists, authors and musicians have lived with mood disorders, and subsequently addiction. The two seem to go hand in hand.
Over time, Van Gogh was hospitalized at least five times for manic-depressive breakdowns. Friends and various artists described him as eccentric, disturbed, terrifying, on the verge of a breakdown, extremely difficult, obstinate and as a heavy drinker.
