Last refuge art

The works of Matthew Wong and Vincent van Gogh come together at the Kunsthaus Zürich. Two artists who found refuge in painting and revealed their inner struggles in it.

Caption: Click on photos

The painting "A Dream" (Image 1) by Matthew Wong stands out in particular. It shows a path lined with dark trees and bushes that leads to a light-flooded shore. The evening sun is reflected in the glistening water. The oil painting evokes a sense of longing: In the gloom, sublimity beckons from afar. The bluish tones of the woodland, which gently winds and stretches upwards, make the picture seem surreal. Matthew Wong painted it in 2019 and died in the same year.

The bold colours and wave-like vibrations are somewhat reminiscent of works by Vincent van Gogh. His "Starry Night" (1889) is world-famous. The eponymous work "Starry Night" by Matthew Wong is a homage to it, as confirmed at the exhibition at the Kunsthaus Zürich (van Gogh's original hangs in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, however).

Wong's version is different: like many of his paintings, it is calm and contemplative. It shows an idyllic landscape with a dark lake reflecting a cluster of stars. Painting seems to have been a means by which Matthew Wong found peace in the midst of his inner struggles and inner turmoil.

"Matthew Wong - Vincent van Gogh: Last Refuge Painting": on display at Kunsthaus Zürich until 26 January 2025.

Matthew Wong, Coming of Age Landscape, 2018, Private collection, Courtesy of HomeArt, © 2023, ProLitteris, Zurich

Kunsthaus Zürich

Matthew Wong – Vincent van Gogh

Shortly before his death at a young age, the Canadian painter and draughtsman Matthew Wong (1984 Toronto – 2019 Edmonton) emerged as a phenomenon with his ...

Permanent exhibition

Short documentary in English

Published from Ilir Pinto on January 21, 2025.

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