Art in Arles

Following Van Gogh's footsteps to Arles doesn't, unfortunately, result in finding a treasure trove of his canvases. Quite the opposite: not a single one of the 200 paintings he completed during his 15 month stay in Arles remains there today. What you do find though is a gem of a museum full of art created to pay hommage to Van Gogh. Over fifty different artists-that the roll call includes David Hockney and Roy Lichtenstein gives you an idea of the scale of the project-contributed an assortment of art works in all shapes and sizes. Van Gogh's face and the iconic chair haunt the exhibition: his eyes follow you round each room; in one canvas the familiar face looms out from under his bed. The chair is transplanted into new settings, the seat sometimes filled - with shoes; with a man, despairing,-head in hands-; with paint pots or a wine glass. The cumulative effect is almost startling, certainly unexpected. In the place of coming away knowing more about Van Gogh, of learning by seeing him through other artists' eyes, the recurrent images-face, chair and dismembered ear- seem to distance him, as if somewhere behind these bold images hides another, more vulnerable, Van Gogh. Absolutely fascinating.

Take a look: http://www.fondationvangogh-arles.org/fran/index.htm