In 1887, friends and fellow artists Paul Gauguin and Charles Laval went to Martinique in search of fresh inspiration. The colourful works that they created on the island are now displayed together for the first time. The exhibition ‘Gauguin & Laval in Martinique’ is on view from October 5.
5 October 2018 to 13 January 2019
Discontent with the decadent Parisian way of life, Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) and Charles Laval (1861-1894) escaped to the Caribbean island of Martinique in 1887. In the short time that they stayed on the island, they created a series of exquisite artworks. The trip had a huge impact on their further artistic development. The exhibition Gauguin & Laval in Martinique will feature the warm, vivid paintings, alongside their outstanding preliminary sketches and large, elaborate pastels.
In their artworks, Gauguin and Laval pesented Martinique as an umcomplicated paradise. In doing so, they glossed over the harsh everyday reality of life on the island. In order to present a different perspective, the Van Gogh Museum asked the artist Jean-François Boclé (1971, Martinique, based in Paris) to create a special work for this exhibition.
Visit Van Gogh Museum website to get your tickets.