Van Gogh was fascinated by the intense light of the South of France. In Arles, he found the colour he sought. He wrote to his brother Theo: ‘Sunshine, a light which, for want of a better word I can only call yellow – pale sulphur yellow, pale lemon, gold. How beautiful yellow is!’
Thanks to the discovery of new pigments, Van Gogh and his contemporaries were able to use yellow with unprecedented intensity. It was as if their paintings glowed.
Contemporaries of Van Gogh
Yellow brings together some fifty artworks and objects dating from approximately 1850 to 1915. In addition to work by Van Gogh, the exhibition presents works by more than fifteen other artists and kindred spirits, including Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Hilma af Klint, Édouard Manet and William Turner.
Drawing on a range of themes, Yellow. Beyond Van Gogh’s Colour reveals the significance of yellow to artists. Traditionally the colour of the sun, yellow has also carried a range of meanings beyond the visible reality. For Kandinsky, yellow has a musical, energetic and almost intrusive character; for Af Klint, the colour signifies inner growth.
Literature and fashion
Yellow also had distinct significance around the turn of the century outside of painting. In literature and fashion, it became a symbol of modernity and independence, while also provoking controversy. This is evident, in the striking yellow book covers of the avant-garde periodical The Yellow Book, designed by Aubrey Beardsley.
Olafur Eliasson
Contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson (1967) created a light installation especially for Yellow. Beyond Van Gogh’s Colour. He states: ‘I see red, I see blue, but I feel yellow,’ describing an experience of colour that invites viewers to look beyond the reality and the visible world.
Collaborations
The Van Gogh Museum collaborated with a range of remarkable partners to create a truly special experience. These include students from the Conservatory of Amsterdam, who composed contemporary pieces inspired by works in the exhibition; olfactory experts at Robertet in Grasse developed three scents that enrich the experience of the colour yellow, including Summer Sun – a solar burst of citrus. The exhibition was designed by design agency Raw Color.
Publication
The exhibition is accompanied by a lively and richly illustrated publication that addresses a wide range of themes associated with the colour yellow. The bright yellow book is presented in a slipcase containing six individual decorative cards.