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Full of humor, love, and vibrant colors, the works of the Iranian-born artist centred around the character of the post-impressionist artist leave an onlooker with a feeling of presence inside the depicted scenes.

Meet the creative, Alireza Karimi Moghaddamchance, who believes that we have much more in common with Vincent than we could imagine.

• How did your creative journey start?

I was familiar with Vincent Van Gogh from childhood. I knew Van Gogh from the pictures in my father’s books, and in my childhood world, whenever I flipped through my father’s books, I saw Van Gogh’s paintings. This familiarity continued until I went to university, studied graphic design, and examined Van Gogh’s works more closely. I used the forms, lines, and colors Van Gogh used in my illustrations, comics, and cartoons. Then, for the first time, in 2018, I dared to fantasize about Van Gogh’s works and integrate them into my professional world, focusing entirely on Vincent Van Gogh.

• Do you separate Vincent Van Gogh the man from Van Gogh the artist? Or are they intrinsically linked to one another?

No, I don’t separate these two. I believe that the artworks of any artist are derived from the essence and personality of that artist. Therefore, if we see any work by any artist, we are essentially observing their spirit, personality, character, way of thinking, and way of life in their works. Consequently, I don’t distinguish Vincent Van Gogh’s character from his works, creations, and paintings. I believe that the suffering and ecstasy Van Gogh experienced in his personal life are intensely evident in his paintings. Perhaps it is because of the same pain, suffering, passion, and ecstasy that he experienced in his life that these masterpieces were created.

• What is it about Van Gogh’s lifestyle that appeals most to you as an artist?

I believe that the lifestyle and way of life that Vincent Van Gogh had, and the way he ended his life, significantly contributed to his increased visibility in today’s society. We must accept the reality that during the era he lived, other painters and designers might have been better than Van Gogh artistically. Of course, “better” is a relative term. However, Van Gogh’s lifestyle, poverty, and the hardships he experienced during his short life, along with the way he died, combined with the art and creativity he exhibited, all contributed to making him a prominent and beloved figure worldwide.

I am almost certain that if you conduct a survey and ask people the first thing that comes to mind about Van Gogh, most will say “the painter who cut off his ear” or “the painter who committed suicide.” Few people will talk about his artistic style and paintings. Therefore, I think Van Gogh’s lifestyle has significantly contributed to his better recognition of the world we live in today.

• This Dutch Post-Impressionist seems to be an endless source of inspiration for you. Who else among living or late artists would similarly catch your eye?

Yes, this great artist is an endless source of inspiration for my artworks, but I should point out something: currently, Vincent Van Gogh acts as a character for me. A character who could perhaps be replaced by others in the stories and events depicted in my works. For instance, when I talk about peace or love, Van Gogh is present.

In reality, if it were any other character besides Van Gogh, they could convey those messages. This means that Van Gogh’s character in my artworks has gradually become a brand ambassador, and I am using his good reputation to convey my messages to my audience through him. Again, I emphasize that any other character could have been in his place, but since Van Gogh is now popular among people worldwide, and more importantly, I also like him and can establish a very good connection with him, he plays the main role in my illustrations.

If I were to name other artists who have similarly caught my attention, I could mention Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Frida Kahlo. Each of these artists also has passionate and unique lives and works that can be inspiring and depict various stories and emotions.

• Do you find some elements of Van Gogh inside you? Which one?

First of all, I need to mention that I see Van Gogh as a human and an artist, just like other humans and artists. He, like all of us, had a personality and life.

Like all of us, he wanted to succeed in his work, and like many people, he endured many hardships in his life.

I believe that Van Gogh had a better chance of being noticed, otherwise, we currently have many artists who, both artistically and in terms of the hardships they endure in life, are similar to or even surpass Van Gogh.

Therefore, like other people, many of my characteristics might align with Van Gogh’s personality. I too might experience difficult days in life, days when I feel sad and distressed. I don’t deny that Van Gogh had personality disorders and that these disorders were reflected in his personal life and artworks. But overall, I see Van Gogh as a human being, like other humans. All humans experience problems and hardships in their daily lives. Alongside this, they experience love and desire to be loved. I am just like them.

Elements of Van Gogh that I see in myself could include the same artistic passion, experiencing hardships, and striving to express inner emotions through art. Additionally, the love for art and the desire to express the deepest feelings and thoughts through creating artworks.

• The state of the modern world is dark and gloomy. How can a person dissociate from all that is going on outside and make room for beauty?

I don’t see the state of today’s modern world as a threat. As an artist, I see it as an opportunity. In this era where everything is moving towards modernity and technology has even infiltrated the personal details of our lives, I think art can serve as a beacon of light in our lives. Every day I realize that people need art and artists, and I believe that this era will be a fertile period for creating artworks. Beautiful artworks are always created in darkness, shadows, and hardships. Although our days are filled with technology and modernity, this will result in witnessing unparalleled artworks from artists of this era in the future.

• Can art in its present state exist for the sake of art without apparent commercial reasons driving it?

We must accept the reality that in today’s world, artists, like other members of society, need to have welfare and utilize their talents and abilities. I never expect to become a millionaire as an artist, but I expect to have a calm and simple life through art. This is the maximum aspiration of many artists and anyone who is professionally and dedicatedly engaged in art.

• Frida Kahlo is another “disruptor” who sometimes appears in your works. Do you think that she and Vincent could be friends or even a couple in real life? What do they have in common artistically and personally?

Yes, I bring other artists into my fantasy and creative world and my stories. I think this allows any artist to build their artwork through imagination and creativity. Not only Frida Kahlo but also Picasso, Tintin, and other characters I create in my mind appear in my stories and help to visualize stories that convey a better feeling to my audience. As artists, we are only truly free when we can dream and have freedom of expression. Van Gogh and Frida never lived in the same era and weren’t even aware of each other, but I bring them together in my stories to create a world that my audience is more interested in. It seems that Frida and Van Gogh had similarities in the situations they experienced in their lives. Frida gained attention and popularity due to her physical problems, while Van Gogh didn’t have this level of popularity during his lifetime. But both faced hardships and sufferings in their lives. Frida because of her physical problems and Van Gogh because of his mental issues.

• What are your favorite flowers and city, and what is the latest book you have read?

My favorite flower is undoubtedly the sunflower because of its incredible energy. My favorite city is the city where I was born, Tehran, and after that, the city where I currently live, Lisbon. The last book I read was “The Forty Rules of Love” by Elif Shafak, a Turkish author who wrote about the life of the Iranian poet Rumi.

• Do you believe that Art can save the world?

Love and art are the only ways I know to save the world, and I believe that these two are one; because love and art make the world a better and more beautiful place to live for its inhabitants.

• I might be mistaken, but while staring at your drawings, I can recognize some Iranian features in your Vincent Van Gogh face. Am I mistaken? Or maybe it’s a naturally born homage to your native country which you miss?

You are exactly right and have noticed correctly. Van Gogh himself was influenced by Eastern painting and art at one point. I also come from the East, was born in Iran, and have been familiar with Eastern and Iranian art and painting since childhood. Perhaps one of the reasons for my interest in the forms and lines Van Gogh used is his closeness to Eastern painting. Especially, we can see these forms in the clouds and skies that Van Gogh painted, which have a striking similarity to Eastern and Iranian painting. Therefore, I subconsciously was drawn to these forms and tried to highlight and show the forms and spirals that Van Gogh used in his paintings as much as possible in my works.

• You are a storyteller, and your stories are full of humor and certain irony; what is the message you want to transmit to the audience through your cartoons?

In my artworks, I want to convey to the audience as much as possible the hope for a beautiful and meaningful life. With this, I want to encourage them to love each other and understand the value of their moments. Life, despite all its problems and hardships, still has its beauty, and I think we need to change our outlook on life. Even though there are problems and daily struggles in today’s life, life can still be colorful and beautiful. This is my belief, and I believe that if we take life easier and face problems and hardships differently, life will be better and more meaningful for ourselves and others.

• If Van Gogh were living now, do you believe that his life would be completely different thanks to social networks and their instant visibility?

Certainly, his life would be completely different, and he would gain new experiences. Today, thanks to social networks and this incredible technology—which I hope will be used more beneficially—we, as artists, can introduce ourselves. In the past, promoting artists was in the hands of specific and limited groups and individuals, whose personal decisions might influence the selection of artists. But today, thanks to social networks, anyone can share their talents and make them available to the public, and the audience decides whether to follow the artist or not. Through these social networks, we have been able to discover and introduce very prominent artists to the world, whereas, without social networks, these artists might never have been seen or known, facing a fate similar to Van Gogh during his lifetime.

• If you met Vincent Van Gogh, what would you ask or tell him?

I have thought about this question a lot and have concluded that if I had the chance to meet Van Gogh once, I wouldn’t ask him any questions. I would just ask him to allow me to sit next to him for five minutes and watch him paint up close. That’s all.

• When and where shall we be able to admire your next personal exhibition?

At the moment, I am reviewing several proposals for exhibitions in different countries, but I have not reached a final decision yet. I can assure you that once any of these proposals are finalized, I will announce it to my friends and audience through my Instagram account. Additionally, I welcome proposals for exhibitions in different countries.