Matthew Wong, Vincent van Gogh: painting as a last resort

Abstract

"The Chinese-Canadian artist Matthew Wong (1984-2019) employed colour expressively, using thick and dynamically applied paint to instil his personality in his work. Self-taught, he explored Western and Chinese art history himself, finding an important example in the work of Vincent van Gogh. The two artists gave expression to their inner worlds with a similar immediacy. There are striking parallels, moreover, between the lives of Wong and Van Gogh: both spent a great deal of time searching for their vocation in life before eventually finding it in painting. The connections between the two artists are examined in detail in this publication through a survey of Matthew Wong's impressive body of work" -- Provided by publisher.

Contents

Foreword / Emilie E.S. Gordenker -- A finger in a nerve : a personal note / Kenny Schachter -- Poem 'Vincent' by Matthew Wong -- Painting as a last resort : an introduction / Joost van der Hoeven -- Rain rising / Richard Shiff -- A poet's world / John Yau -- Living the past in the present : Joost van der Hoeven in conversation with / Sofia Silva -- Poem 'June' by Matthew Wong -- Chronology Matthew Wong.