Greg Constantine (Canadian-American, b. 1938)
Vincent Attends “Homage to Van Gogh” Exhibit at Moma, 1982
Lithograph on paper
15.25 x 22.75 in
Gift of Christopher A. Graf
Happy National Museum Lover’s Day! Greg Constantine’s playful Lithograph depicts Vincent Van Gogh at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
I remember hearing about Vincent Van Gogh, along with Monet, Picasso, and a few others in my elementary school art class. What stuck out the most about Van Gogh was that he cut off his own ear, and he had little success with art while he was alive.
This lithograph comments on both those aspects. Throughout the sketch are references to his chopped ear. There’s the ear on the shoulder of the sculpture in the bottom left, the top right framed work of his ear, a couple of other works that have a bandage over his ear, and prominent left ears throughout the works.
Next, Van Gogh’s lack of success during life seems all the more tragic because of his massively wide recognition soon after his death. Would he have been slightly alleviated of his mental battle if he was an established and successful artist while living?
Whether or not that is the case, there’s no denying that his role in art history is immense, as he inspired new painters like Pablo Picasso. This imagined exhibit at the MoMA pays tribute to Van Gogh’s impact. Thus, this lithograph shows a dreamscape where he is immersed in his importance to the world of art, where he would be made aware of his modern fame.
The works seem to have been made by various renowned artists all celebrating Van Gogh’s artistry. The references to artists include Picasso on the right, Warhol above the door frame, Magritte in the back. What other references do you notice?
Van Gogh is surrounded by other versions of himself, melting and sculptures, and ears, in a gallery with a slanted floor, and different sized walls. Perhaps the absurdity of the scene reflects the mental state of the challenged artist.
Museums are a separate reality. You enter and you’re immersed in a space of expression and history. The more time you spend with works or paintings, the more details you see. Art museums link one directly to the world of the past, the time you spend looking parallels the time the artist had spent making. The act of painting is reborn with every new viewer. Questions like how did they choose this color? Why? What were they painting for? Who were they painting for? Questions both the artist and audience ask and seek to answer.
Museums give access to new experiences regarding what you came there believing and what you take with you when leaving. Vincent Van Gogh is probably the first or second artist I learned about; the painter of Starry Night and the painter who cut off his own ear and mailed it.
Born in Canada, Greg Constantine (b. 1938) received his BA from Andrews University in 1960 and his MFA from Michigan State University in 1968. He worked as a professor of drawing, painting, and art history at Andrews University for 43 years before retiring in 2006. He received many awards including the J.N. Andrews Medallion by Andrews University in 1984 and the Michigan Creative Artists Grant in 1986. This bio was taken from: www.artworkarchive.com/profile/van-every-smith-galleries/artist/greg-constantine. See additional lithographs by this artist in Davidson College’s collection by clicking on the link!
– Adele Oprica ‘26