Van Gogh x John Madu

Exhibition Van Gogh x John Madu: Paint Your Path
From 30 May 2025, 7 pm
Until 7 September 2025

Especially for this exhibition, Nigerian artist John Madu (1983, Lagos) created ten new works inspired by paintings by Vincent van Gogh from the museum collection. Van Gogh x John Madu: Paint Your Path was co-curated by the ReFramers.

In his vivid paintings, Madu explores themes including identity, globalisation, and cultural cross-pollination.

‘Revisiting Van Gogh’s works and reinterpreting his visuals in a West African context allows me to create a bridge between local narratives and a global audience.’

John Madu

John Madu, Table no. 2 (Studio on University Road), 2025. Courtesy of Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery and the artist — John Madu, *Table no. 2 (Studio on University Road)*, 2025. Courtesy of Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery and the artist

Vincent van Gogh, Carafe and Dish with Citrus Fruit, 1887 — Vincent van Gogh, *Carafe and Dish with Citrus Fruit*, 1887

Vincent van Gogh, Flowering Plum Orchard (after Hiroshige), 1887 — Vincent van Gogh, *Flowering Plum Orchard (after Hiroshige)*, 1887

A contemporary perspective of Van Gogh

John Madu takes elements of European art history and blends them with everyday imagery from West Africa. His paintings forge connections across cultures and resonate with people all around the world.

Madu was not only inspired by Van Gogh’s painting style, but also by his life:

‘I definitely see parallels between Van Gogh’s journey and my own, particularly in how we deal with loneliness. Making art can be a solitary pursuit, and there’s also the pressure of society’s expectations of what it means to be an artist.’

The artist drew on his West African perspective to create his own versions of Van Gogh’s paintings, introducing local narratives to a global audience.

Find your own path

This exhibition invites you to reflect on your own creative journey. Which influences shaped you? How do you move between different cultures, experiences and narratives? Together, the work of Madu and Van Gogh shows how art continues to speak, across boundaries of time and place.

John Madu, No Food for Lazy Man II, 2025. Courtesy of Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery and the artist — John Madu, *No Food for Lazy Man II*, 2025. Courtesy of Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery and the artist

Vincent van Gogh, Exterior of a Restaurant in Asnières, 1887 — Vincent van Gogh, *Exterior of a Restaurant in Asnières*, 1887

The ReFramers (Beeldbrekers)

The ReFramers are young adult students and (young) professionals who use their expertise to help make the museum more inclusive. They broaden the museum’s horizons, ask critical questions and find new ways of making Van Gogh’s story relevant for modern audiences.

With Paint Your Path, they mark a significant milestone: the first exhibition of work by an African artist at the Van Gogh Museum.

Thanks to

The exhibition in on view on the second floor of the permanent collection presentation in the Rietveld Building.