Madu explains: ‘Revisiting Van Gogh’s works and reinterpreting his visuals in a West African context allows me to create a bridge between local narratives and a global audience.’
A new and personal perspective on Van Gogh
Madu combines iconic images from European and North American art history with aspects from daily life in West Africa. He explores how local visual traditions relate to Western visual culture in a globalised world.
Van Gogh’s work plays a significant role, as his paintings are amongst the world’s most recognisable. Madu aims to make connections between the local and the global: ‘I use this combination to emphasise universal human experiences, while also revealing the unique cultural narratives that co-exist in our globalised world.’
Madu borrows recognisable elements from Van Gogh’s works, such as a self-portrait, flowering orchards or even a skull, and uses them to create new stories, connecting the global and the local. Madu offers a fresh perspective on Van Gogh, while at the same time Van Gogh’s work reflects back on Madu.
Madu feels a personal connection with Van Gogh, both as an artist and as a person. Van Gogh’s perseverance and tenacity inspired Madu to free himself from social expectations and to follow his own path as an artist.
‘More than any artist I have paid homage to, I see Van Gogh’s works as a marker for artistic individualism.’ - John Madu
Co-curated by the Beeldbrekers (ReFramers)
This spotlight exhibition was realised in collaboration with the Beeldbrekers (ReFramers), a group of young adults that challenges the Van Gogh Museum to reflect on its mission and its commitment to inclusivity. The ReFramers curate a display annually in the museum, which gives them the opportunity to explore their own vision and imagination. This year’s project, Paint Your Path, resulted in a remarkable exchange between Nigeria and the Netherlands, encompassing art, narrative and perspective.
John Madu - preview on 30 May
The paintings by Madu and Van Gogh will be on display on the second floor of the permanent collection from 30 May to 7 September 2025. The artist will be present during the exhibition’s exclusive press preview on Friday 30 May.
The exhibition will be available to the public that same evening during the Vincent op Vrijdag event on 30 May 2025.