INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

An interview with Waldemar Baszak, president of the Twórcze Brzózki Association and organiser of the Van Gogh Festival, which will take place on 15 and 16 August in Brzózki.

 

Would Vincent van Gogh have liked Brzózki?

Definitely! He would have felt a strong connection with nature, colour and the simplicity of rural life here. These murals, full of light and intense colour, bring to mind his passion for nature and expression. Brzózki could remind him of the ‘Yellow House’ in Arles – an artistic community inspired by the proximity of nature and a passion for creation.

 

What would he say if he saw his paintings on the walls of houses?

He would probably be amazed by the scale and fairly faithful reproduction of ‘Starry Night’, ‘Wheatfield with Cypresses’ and ‘Bedroom in Arles’ in XXL format. It would probably exceed his expectations. He would be happy that his art is finding its way into ordinary homes, becoming part of the everyday life of residents and tourists. He would be pleased to see his colourful world come to life on rural walls.

 

How did the idea of transferring famous paintings by Vincent van Gogh onto the walls of houses in Brzózki come about?

The idea was my initiative in 2016. I developed the concept and selected the master’s paintings that best suited the character of the village and the shape of the walls. Young artists from Łódź began to recreate van Gogh’s old paintings with spray paint. In this way, the first murals inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s works appeared on the walls of private houses and farm buildings.

 

Why van Gogh and not Monet or Wyspiański?

Because he was an artist who, unlike many of his contemporaries, consciously turned away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and sought meaning, beauty and truth in simple rural life. He wrote in letters to his brother Theo that he was most moved by simple people, their hard work, their relationship with the land and with nature. His art was deeply rooted in the everyday life of rural people.

 

In Brzózki, we see the same truth that van Gogh painted so tenderly – vast fields, lonely trees, old fences, shrines, and a quiet sky above the low roofs of houses. All this is reminiscent of his Dutch and southern French painting locations. Brzózki is just like that – artistic, but without pretension. Deep, but close to the earth. Here, van Gogh is not an ‘imported genius’, but the spiritual patron of a place that has gained its identity through art.

Van Gogh would have chosen Brzózki because he loved the countryside, loved simple people and saw meaning in their everyday lives. By painting Brzózki in his style, we are not copying him, but communicating with him through space, colours and the silence of the fields. Monet was a painter of gardens, Wyspiański of theatre and myths, and van Gogh of fields, the sky and the human soul. And that is what we feel in Birch Trees.

 

What is the key to selecting the artist’s paintings?

I choose van Gogh’s most recognisable works, which speak through colour and emotion: ‘Starry Night’, ‘The Bedroom in Arles’, landscapes, portraits. We are currently working with Jarosław Strzałka from Żnin, who is the author of most of the works. In Brzózki, we already have nine murals inspired by Van Gogh’s work, and another one will be created in front of the audience at the upcoming Van Gogh Festival, which we are organising.

 

What can we expect at the festival?

We wanted to organise an event combining various fields of art that draw inspiration from Van Gogh’s work. We will organise four panels – literary, film, painting and music – during which there will be workshops, competitions, film screenings, concerts and meetings with artists. Prof. Michał Rusinek, film critic Tomasz Raczek, actor Robert Gulaczyk will come to Brzózki, and Andrzej Sikorowski will perform on stage.

 

How do residents feel about these ideas?

At first, some residents were sceptical. They asked: ‘Potholes in the road and Van Gogh on the walls?’ However, they quickly warmed to the idea, as the murals began to attract tourists, and thanks to art and popularity, the village began to look completely different. We have more murals, and the old potholed road is now new.

 

August 2025.