Pokemon combined with van Gogh’s paintings attracted crowds to the museum. Interest in art or profit?

The Vincent van Gogh Museum has found an original way to arouse interest in the works of the famous painter. To draw the attention of the younger generation to the impressionist, the gallery hosted a special exhibition in which characters from the Japanese Pokemon series appear on the canvases of the Dutch artist.

Pokemon paired with Vincent van Gogh’s canvases. An original idea for a museum in Amsterdam

The exhibition started on September 28, 2023 and will last until January 7, 2024. It is part of special projects celebrating the museum’s 50th anniversary. The characters appearing in the paintings created by Japanese artists for the innovative exhibition include Pikachu, referring to the “Self-Portrait with a Gray Felt Hat”, Sunflora in the interpretation of the famous “Sunflowers”, and Snorlax lounging on the bed of the “Room in Arles”.

“This cooperation will allow the next generation to learn about the art and life story of Vincent van Gogh in a fresh way. The Van Gogh Museum and The Company have used their many years of educational experience to create a unique experience for children, their caregivers and many other people,” wrote Emilie Gordenker, director of the museum. in a press release quoted by .

The museum also allows the youngest guests to take part in special drawing workshops and a task for which they can receive a limited Pokemon card. The exhibition also includes lectures explaining the influence that Japanese woodcut printing had on the work of Vincent van Gogh.

The van Gogh Museum was visited by crowds. Pokemon gadgets reach astronomical prices at auctions

The original idea and cooperation with one of the most popular franchises in the history of pop culture brought a lot of new guests to Vincent van Gogh’s Amsterdam. The local Dutch broadcaster (NOS) wrote about the crowds that came to the gallery immediately after the opening of the exhibition. However, the behavior of people visiting the museum raises questions: is it really about art?

In the recordings that have circulated on the Internet, we see people storming the museum store, where limited graphics, cards and souvenirs related to both van Gogh’s work and the iconic Pokemon series are available during the exhibition. The media note that the reason for the great interest may be not only the excitement of the Dutch painter and the Japanese series, but also the desire to make money. Gadgets related to the Pokemon series, especially the limited ones, can reach prices at auctions reaching hundreds of thousands.