Van Gogh Reborn!

Chapter 20

What.? No.

I tried to paint a portrait to Grandpa as a birthday present, but he keeps rejecting it.

It wont take long.

No means NO.

Think about it teacher. Youll become Huns first portrait model. Isnt that great.?

Well.

When I persuaded him, he just refused saying its not okay, but when Aunt Mirae said that, he accepted it without refusing.

I really cant understand this person.

Soon the three of us went to Grandpas reading room.

Grandpa sat on the chair and said.

Im ready little Hun.

I observed Grandpa calmly.

I don't know how other people sees him, but at least to me, he is a kind and fun person.

Even though I knew him only for two or three months.

I was able to understand what it means to have a family from him.

To my father, I was just a shame.

My older brother and older sister treated me like a nuisance and worthless person.

My mother just felt sorry for me. 

Theo loved me more as a pitiful artist rather than a brother.

I always envied the way Theo treated his son and his wife.

All throughout my life, I felt lonely.

Without painting I would have just been an empty person.

But everything changed when I met this person.

At first I was hesitant to call him Grandpa, but now those are the words that come most in a day from my mouth.

He taught me the warmth of family.

He understands my drawings more deeply than anyone else, and treats them with no pretence.

When those bubbly eyes are directed at me, all I can feel was nothing but affection. 

There is nothing as cozy as his strong body embracing me.

Even though I feel guilty for that love, which I know want directed to me. 

I wish that this person was my grandfather and I was his real grandson.

I picked up a colour pencil.

Grandfather and Aunt Mirae captures the shape of things accurately in their paintings.

Unlike Pablo Picasso, it is expressed in as much detail as possible without any exaggeration or omission.

There is a difference in the way of expression in their paintings, but neither of them can be said to be wrong.

On the contrary, both are so good that I want to say that they are correct.

Picasso draws out the essence of things and expresses them simply, while Grandpa and Aunt Mirae portray aesthetics that do not exist in reality as if they were real.

However, there is something in common between their works and the works of Picasso.

It was the active use of colour to dress the work.

In particular, Grandpa and Aunt Mirae's understanding of colours far exceeded my expectations.

I have never seen any other artist who handles the colour more clearly than them.

I too want to paint like them.

I too want to use colours like them.

I looked intensely at grandpa without taking my eyes off from him.

The wrinkly eyes showed the traces of time and the experience he gained from them.

I want to express them in bright colour showing his warmth.

The wrinkles were overlaid with beige and peach colours to capture the overall bright atmosphere.

Wrinkles are deep and take away the darkness under the forehead and under the eyes.

sixty four.

Although we haven't been together for long, I can tell just by the way he treats me, and the way a young disciple comes to say hello to him and the way he respects such a disciple.

Gifts piled up in front of the door.

The numerous works that fill the studio all tell what kind of life he has led.

He would have treated the people around him with love, and respect from the bottom of his heart. 

I would like to capture every character of his in the canvas.

I respect this guy as a painter and love this guy as a Grandfather .

With light dark brown colour, I created a boundary for shadows such as pupils and nostrils without shaking.

Then when I touched the forehead part.

I hesitated for a moment.

The white hairs that are glimmering between the dark hairs do not speak of ageing and senility, they were the traces of time.

It tells the artist's values of Ko Sooyeol and how long they have taken root.

His battle with the world as an artist.

A battle in which he had won, and a battle in which I had lost miserably.

I painted with light grey rather than white.

I tried to add a light red colour around the cheeks, nose, and eyes to give a sense of passion that still boils in him along with a little yellow and blue colour.

It would be nice to increase the density to make it look more realistic.

It was inspired from Aunt Miraes painting.

Now that I know that this type of expression is possible and enjoyable, drawing will be more fun in the future. 

I took the pencil away from the canvas and looked at the canvas.

I am not satisfied with the picture in the canvas. 

I tried to capture a strong yet gentle grandfather in the canvas, but it was not captured completely.

Its done."

I approached Grandpa with the picture, and I would be glad if he refused.

Lets see.

Aunt Mirae, who was touching the tablet while I drawing, also approached me.

Its badright.?

"No. It's not. it's really great. you drew really well. I thought  you were weak at drawing picture as it is, but when did you grow so much. You really are my pride.

Grandpa gently stroked my hair.

Even though I hated my ability to be not able to draw the Grandpa I see with my eyes, his words and the gently touch made me happy.

Someday I'll draw it again.

That portrait will show all the greatness of grandpa..my Grandpa.

next day.

I overslept while drawing on my tablet all night.

When I woke up, it was lunchtime and no one was at home.

I opened the refrigerator, humanitys another Blessing, which can keep the milk fresh for an entire day. 

While I was drinking milk grandpa returned.

Where did you go grandpa.?

What happened.

Grandpa's hairs is black.

There is not even a single strand of white hair. 

It looks like it had been painted with paint.

What happened to your hair grandpa.?

I dyed it. Do I look young?"

The white one looked nice

This makes me look healthy, doesnt it? It's a bit hard to say with my own mouth, but everyone at the salon said that I look 10 years younger. hahahah!"

There are still parts that I dont understand about this grandpa.

I have to leave for Europe tomorrow, so I'm busy checking things out, while grandpa was speaking to someone who came to visit him.

I was thinking about which coloured pencil to bring without paying attention.

But suddenly Grandpa called me.

Little Hun, come over here.

When I went out, there stood a man, whom I saw for the first time, smiled warmly at me.

Modern people seem to try to look younger than their age, so I think he might be in his early 40s.

Nice to meet you, Hun.

I don't know how the person who came with Aunt Mirae teaches nor this person know my name.

"Hello."

My name is Bang Tae, the curator of the WH Art Museum. 

If it is WH museum, it was the first museum I visited with grandpa.

If curator from such a place came to visit, is it regarding an exhibition?

Actually, I saw sunflowers at the Seoul Art Museum. It was marvellous.

Really.?

"Yes. I can't explain it, but it was a lively work. The golden colour of a wounded sunflower seems to be telling me that I can do it too.

My intention was communicated properly.

"Thank you."

Bang Tae smiled brightly.

So, I came here because I wanted to exhibit Huns paintings. Can you show me the pictures you drew?"

Grandpa gently nodded his head.

Okay, come this way.

Grandfather would never introduce me to a bad person, and he is a person who understood my painting, so I can trust him.

I led him to my studio that my grandfather had decorated.

All this time, I have only been practicing with colour pencils and ink paintings, so there are very few works that he might like.

Here it is.

Thank you Hun."

Bang Tae looked around the studio slowly.

He stopped in front of some works, and most of them, he didn't pay much attention.

He caresses his chin as if he was confused.

You did a lot of ink painting.

"Yes. I am practicing.

Are there no watercolours or oil paintings?

Im not drawing right now.

There is a strong expression of regret.

Although I drew one work a day, it is also true that I did not have a satisfactory picture because I had only recently encountered ink painting.

I don't really like coloured pencil drawings, except for my grandpa's portrait.

It is not the painting of Ko Hun that he needed, he wanted the painting of Ko Hun who sold [Sunflower] for 2.8 billion won.

Please come back in three months.

"Huh?"

I am practicing ink painting right now, so there is no oil painting. I'll draw a few things after I come from Europe."

Even if I travel for two months, one month will be enough.

If I draw diligently, I can prepare more than 20 paintings.

Okay. Then I look forward to it."

Bang Tae bowed his head to  grandpa, and prepared to leave. 

While going out to the living room to see him off, Bang Tae asked about our travel.

Are you going to Europe to study?

"No. To see an art gallery."

Oh, where?

The Van Gogh Museum.

Okay, good. You seemed to like Van Gogh. Your [Sunflower]  somehow like Van Gogh's oriental paintings."

I looked at him with amazement, wondering whether he was praising me or criticizing me.

Oh, thats not a bad thing at all. I mean that's great. I really liked the yellow. To borrow Van Goghs expression, like that.

Although we met for only 20 minutes, he seems to be a person with a good heart.

"Thank you."

He laughed softly.

Then I look forward to it. Have fun traveling.

I nodded my head.

Sir, Thank you today. See you next time.

"Yes. See you next time."

As soon as Bang Tae stepped out and the door closed, grandpa asked.

Why did you tell him to come back in three months?

I dont like the picture I have now.

Grandpa nodded his head and asked again.

Why did you show him a picture that you didnt like?

It is also my painting. Do I need to hide it just because I didnt draw it well.?

Grandpa patted my back.

I don't know why, but he seems to be happy with something.

Bang Tae looked around at Ko Hun's paintings and smiled in disappointment.

There were so many good pictures, but he couldn't find a picture that moved his heart like [sunflower]

He is worried about what to do with a regretful heart, but Ko Hun came out first.

Come back in three months.

I didn't intend to exhibit it from the beginning.

He did't have any works worth exhibiting yet, so asking me to come back. 

Anyone can say that.

If the other person was the curator of the WH Museum, the story was different .

WH museum is the most visited place among domestic art museums, and an artist becomes hot topic just for getting invited by WH Art Museum.

In particular, if it is possible to work with Curator Bang Tae, many artists have tried to present their work somehow.

But the ten-year-old boy was different.

He may not know how great and honorable it is to be invited to the WH Art Museum, but it is surprising that he could decide that he currently have no works that are worth exhibiting.

Furthermore.

He said he was practicing.

He did not hesitate to show his study.

Is it because he is still young and innocent?

There was no shame in his eyes, while showing his own immaturity.

Ko Hun showed him all the messed up pictures and the slightly awkward ones.

Among them, there were works of such high quality that Bang Tae thought, would be okay to display them, but Bang Tae believed in Ko Hun, who told him to come back three months later.

Bang Tae recalled [Sunflower], which he saw few day back with his own eyes.

It reminded him of a painting he saw when he was young.

A painting that made him walk on the path of Art.

The painting of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night.

Bang Tae turned towards the house from where he came out and murmured, while taking his hat off.

Bon Voyage, Little Van Gogh. 

Trivia

Curator: A person that collects and manages works in museums and art galleries, and plans exhibitions. Derived from the Latin curare (to care for)