Coalmine in the Borinage 1879

Editor: This is Van Gogh’s “Coalmine in the Borinage,” from 1879. It’s a watercolor and coloured pencil work. I’m struck by how bleak and industrial it feels, quite different from his later, more vibrant paintings. What do you make of it? Curator: Considering the painting in its historical moment reveals much. Van Gogh made this while living amongst impoverished coal miners in Belgium. It’s less about artistic style and more about social commentary. The composition, with the mine dominating the horizon, emphasizes the industrial structures' impact on the environment and, more importantly, on people’s lives. Do you notice how small the figure of the man seems in comparison? Editor: Yes, he's almost lost in the landscape. The smokestacks are imposing and industrial. So, it's a political statement as much as an observation? Curator: Exactly. Think about the institutional critique embedded here. Van Gogh isn’t just depicting a coal mine; he’s critiquing a system. He places the coal mine centrally, thereby suggesting that this dehumanizing environment is central to the experience of the miners and thus relevant in the eyes of the viewer as a catalyst for reform and improvement in human conditions. Do you get a sense of the politics of imagery at work? Editor: I do now! It challenges viewers to consider the human cost of industry, rather than celebrating it. It’s interesting how early this kind of social consciousness appears in his work. Curator: It underscores art's capacity to document and provoke socio-political reflection and, in a space such as this museum, act as an invitation for viewers to take note and action. Editor: I’m definitely looking at Van Gogh and early impressionism with new eyes. Thanks for that perspective! Curator: My pleasure. The best art invites ongoing re-evaluation and learning, across and against the historical grain.