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Pokémon and Van Gogh?

Okay, it’s cute and all, but seriously? This is what’s needed to attract 6-year-olds to Vincent’s work! 

WHY?

The Van Gogh Museum seems more and more determined to discredit its namesake.

RANSACKING a building that houses the majority of Van Gogh’s masterpieces is alarming and profoundly saddening!

This demonstrates how those operating the museum today, the very organization tasked with safeguarding, conserving, studying, and exhibiting Vincent’s paintings, have become so fixated with commercialism, that they have forgotten WHY Vincent chose the depressing hellhole of the Borinage, WHY he depicted the Potato Eaters in their paltry “human nest”, and what drew him to the flat planes and sod huts of Drenthe. 

Visitors to the museum young and old, though most likely young, can “Go on a Pokémon Adventure along Van Gogh’s paintings and discover the stories about the masterpieces. Follow the clues, complete the quest, and hand in their answers for a special Pikachu x Van Gogh Museum promo card” – Okay great, I hope and pray the VGM has hired additional security.

I cannot speak for other people, but when I’m in the presence of a Van Gogh painting, I feel as though I’ve entered sacred grounds; There is a mesmerizing acceptance of tranquility, a gratification of honor where adoration consoles sorrow, and in the words of Vincent while viewing Rembrandt’s ‘Jewish Bride’ at the Rijksmuseum –

“I should be happy to give ten years of my life if I could go on sitting here in front of this picture for a fortnight, with only a crust of dry bread for food”.

In response to the chaos that ensued on opening day, both Pokémon and the museum released statements apologizing to all the fans eagerly awaiting the collaboration merchandise, because all products from the collection were sold out due to overwhelming demand. Pokémon went on to say “We are actively working on ways to provide more ‘Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat’ promo cards for fans shopping at Pokémon Center in the future. Details will be released at a later date.”

I am not anti-Pokémon in any way, my disappointment is with the museum, which, it seems, is intent on neglecting Vincent’s legacy. What is the real reason for their resistance to recognize recently discovered works by their namesake? They appear to have all the time in the world for collaborations, book writing, traveling overseas, and defending their lawsuits.

Is it because there’s nothing in it for them? Their own legal representation discussed this matter when referring to the Plaintiff’s “classic contract of adhesion” argument in the Pivar case,

stating that a contract of adhesion is by definition, a contract involving “a necessity of life,” this would entitle the offeror “an excessive benefit”, in a situation where the offeror has an “economic or other advantage” over the other party, and the contract is offered on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis.

The VGM’s representing attorney goes on to state that: “obtaining a museum’s opinion on the authenticity of a work purportedly painted by Vincent Van Gogh is not a necessity of life. There was no benefit to the Museum itself let alone an excessive benefit; the Museum provides a service to the public free of charge and insists on agreement to its General Terms and Conditions only to protect itself from lawsuits such as the lawsuit Mr. Pivar has brought in foreign jurisdictions. Nor did the Museum have any economic advantage over Mr. Pivar”

Let me just add something here for a moment – How does the VGM’s counsel know that quote: “obtaining a museum’s opinion on the authenticity of a work purportedly painted by Vincent Van Gogh is not a necessity of life“? unquote – At least as far as the plaintiff goes, or ANY Plaintiff or Defendant in a legal proceeding! That is quite a presumption!

Pokémon and Van Gogh Museum - Pikachu - Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat - Vincent van Gogh
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