Aural Fixations, the Rumpus Mixtape #8: Van Gogh
Van Gogh … beauty that breaks your heart.
Vincent painting images that he had to view through the bars of the asylum. Vincent eating his paints.Writing all those hundreds of letters to his brother Theo, writing “First I dream my paintings then I paint my dream.” The ear thing. Named after his stillborn brother, he was dead at 37. All those masterpieces, painted in only 10 years.
The sunflower series, painted to decorate the room he made for Gaugain while waiting for Gaugain to visit him in Arles. Loving the prostitutes, sharing his food with them. Kicked out of the ministry because he refused to live in the parsonage, opting instead to reside with the coal miners he was sent to assist. Crows. Wheat fields. Self-portraits. He didn’t romanticize being poor, he wanted to earn a living from his art, that sometimes gets lost in the mythos. He lived his life in frequent despair, yet inspires hope in so many artists, and encourages them to follow their passions. He’s the punch line — no matter how messed up your life might seem, you aren’t as crazed as Van Gogh; no matter how much you are sacrificing on behalf of your art, it’s not as much as Vincent. The moral of the Van Gogh story? Imagine, dream, persevere, work harder than you thought you could work, and, in the end, paint your own sky.
“Visions of Johanna”
Bob Dylan
Blonde On Blonde
-2-
“Our Swords”
Band of Horses
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Deluxe Edition]
-3-
“My Blue Heaven”
Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra
Swingsation: Jimmie Lunceford
-4-
“It’s Oh So Quiet”
Björk
Post
-5-
“A Letter to Elise”
The Cure
Paris (Live)
-6-
“Vincent Van Gogh”
Jonathan Richman
Not So Much to Be Loved As to Love
-7-
“Bridges and Balloons”
Joanna Newsom
The Milk-Eyed Mender
-8-
“Flowers in December”
Mazzy Star
Among My Swan
-9-
“Rebel Rebel”
David Bowie
Diamond Dogs
-10-
“Polish Girl”
Neon Indian
Era Extraña
-11-
“Sunflowers”
Sam Behymer
Heartmouth
-12-
“Misgiving”
Tullycraft
Every Scene Needs a Center
-13-
“Stay Alive”
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart