Symbol, Myth and Inspiration: Van Gogh’s Significance for Groningen Youth

‘How Van Gogh came to Groningen’, an ongoing exhibition in Groninger Museum, reminds visitors of Van Gogh’s timeless art and showcases the power of student engagement.

Sunflowers painted by members of De Ploeg © Daniela Ivančáková

On a late Sunday morning, Groninger Museum is quite noisy with a diverse crowd appreciating the art of Van Gogh and others whom he inspired. Among great Post-Impressionists like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, visitors can see the works by Minerva graduates and a wall filled with sunflower paintings by the artist association De Ploeg.

“It is very interesting to see how his art inspired generations and generations of artists,” says Martina, a visitor of Groninger Museum, pointing at the wall full of sunflowers.

Henk Melger’s Zelfportret inspired by Van Gogh

The only Van Gogh’s piece that Groninger Museum permanently possesses is the iconic painting The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring (1884), which was stolen and later returned in an Ikea bag. However, the ongoing exhibition also displays several other Van Gogh artworks, including Self-portrait (1887) and Poppy Field (1890).

Vincent van Gogh is still perceived as one of the greatest Post-Impressionists in the minds of many and his persona has been mythologized through the preservation of loads of personal items, including letters to his brother Theo. His story of a tortured artist is told through a collection of more than 300 paintings, hundreds of sketches and letters, exhibited in the Netherlands, which as a country acquires the biggest overall collection of Van Gogh’s work.

However, this story is not only about art. It is about the power of the collective that fueled passionate students in Groningen to bring one of the grandest exhibitions of Van Gogh’s art to life almost 130 years ago.

The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring and its story as a comix in the background © Daniela Ivančáková

The story started in the late 19th century when a newly built railway station boosted development in many fields, including art. A group of students interested in avant-garde sought to bring the latest modern art to the city, which is why they rented a floor in the Museum of Antiquities, now called the Minerva Academy building. There, they organized one of the biggest Van Gogh exhibitions ever held with 128 of his artworks, including Starry Night over the Rhône (1888) and Van Gogh’s Bedroom (1888).

Another group influenced by Van Gogh’s work was called De Ploeg. This well-known collective of young artists from Groningen in the early 20th century was inspired by enterprising students, who organized the grand Van Gogh exhibition. Their admiration is expressed through the sunflowers, currently exhibited at Groninger Museum.

Following their steps, students of Minerva Academy collaborate with Groninger Museum. “It was interesting to be let behind the scenes and see how the exhibition was created,” says Paula Sofia Polonyi, one of the 20 students who created the satellite exhibition at Minerva Academy. This exhibition took place last month at the exact spot where students displayed Van Gogh’s pieces 130 years ago and the artworks were centered around the blooming almond blossom, which in his works symbolize renewal related to mental health.

Satellite exhibition ‘Almond Blossoms’ at Minerva Academy © Paula Sofia Polonyi

According to Minerva’s website, the cooperation underlines the connection between art and education as well as the importance of inspiration that institutions like the Groninger Museum provide for the youth. The exhibition ‘How Van Gogh Came to Groningen’ in Groninger Museum will last until the 5th of May 2025.