Danica Davidson
September 28, 2023 
Amsterdam’s Vincent van Gogh Museum wants to teach more young people about the famous and influential artist, so what are they doing? Teaming up with Pokémon, of course.
While that might sound really random, there is a connection here. Van Gogh was really interested in Japanese art and it had a major influence on him. Once he wrote to his brother, “And we wouldn’t be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention.”
Emilie Gordenker, who is the Van Gogh Museum’s general director, remarked, “This collaboration will allow the next generation to get to know Vincent van Gogh’s art and life story in a refreshing way. The Van Gogh Museum and The Pokémon Company have drawn on many years of educational expertise to create a special experience for children, their supervisors, and we hope many others at the Van Gogh Museum.”
The museum will be teaching about van Gogh’s interest in Japanese art, as well as showing how to draw Pikachu. There will also be Pokémon-themed exhibits.
The Pokémon Company International’s director of licensing Mathieu Galante commented that “there is a strong link between the inspiration behind Pokémon and the inspiration behind some of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous work. With this collaboration we really hope that we can see children discovering and immersing themselves into the world of art through the incredible works of Van Gogh and Pokémon.”
This is a limited-time collaboration, as one might expect, and it’s happening partially because this is the museum’s 50th anniversary and it’s holding celebrations for the milestone. Pokémon joined the museum today and will be hanging out there until January 7, 2024. All you need is a regular museum ticket to take part.
Source: CNN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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