Kate Wilson sculpted a marriage between her
poetry and Vincent Van Gogh’s artworks, evoking emotions and messages that
capture the essence of his oeuvre.
Each
poem harmonizes with one specific painting. I read the book twice, because the
second time I searched for each work of art. Traveling through time and space I
dived into the soul of Van Gogh, revisiting the sense of communion he
experienced with whatever or whoever inspired him to draw and paint.
Kate Wilson’s poetry contemplates Vincent’s artworks with tenderness; it is rich in imagery, devoid of cliches, engaging.
One of the saddest poems is about a woman called Sien. It
relates to the drawing entitled “Sorrow”.
It is about the woman he loved, whose life was ruined by an addiction to
alcohol. I’m only sharing a fragment of this delicate poem:
“She is
sorrow
in pencil
and parchment,
discolored
over time.
I cannot see
her face,
but I can
hear her
shake and
shudder
with the
suddenness
of
motherhood.”
I believe, however, that the title of the
collection, “The Impossibility of Love”, does not represent Vincent Van Gogh as a
person and an artist. Vincent Van Gogh was love. He was inspired by love, and
love was the foundation of his artworks and letters. Every medium he applied became
an expression of it.
Love was the light of inspiration that guided
him through his creative journey.
Kate Wilson’s poetry collection awakens all
the senses and pulls at the reader’s heartstrings; she makes this possible through
her artistry and emotional connection with Van Gogh. Her poetical world seems
to paint at times her own platonic feelings for the artist.
The Impossibility
of Love was published by Bosporus press.
I received a
copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
