The sight of stars always makes me dream- Van Gogh

‘The sight of stars always makes me dream’ - Van Gogh (1853-1890). This is the phrase the now I C O N I C artist wrote to his brother Theo in one of his many letters whilst admitted to an institution in the south of France. He loved painting the stunningly clear starry nights he could see from outside his window, leading to one of the most famous pieces of art in modern history.

Unlike other artists of his time, Van Gogh spent hours depicting the magic in sky he saw on canvas using bright blue and yellow. As magical and expressive as ‘Starry Night’ is, we are unlikely to see the sky as he once did due to modern air and light pollution, especially in a city like Amsterdam where the air is permanently tainted with an orange glow.

Architect Ivana Jelić and creative engineer Pavle Petrović decided to give people a chance to experience the vision of Van Gogh at the annual light festival. The hillside village and trees have been replaced by Amsterdam’s own canals, bridges and houses, and the brushstrokes by 1,400 ghost staffs, or acrylic tubes that are illuminated by small LED lights. With electric lights, they remind us – in a contradictory way – of the natural beauty that we miss today.

We hens love this idea! What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

Check out the magic here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1lPUzObBLA