In a stroke of brilliance almost as masterful as those that sprang from the brush of the great artist himself, the Art Institute of Chicago has lovingly recreated the famous bedroom of Vincent Van Gogh and put it on Airbnb to highlight an upcoming exhibition of his work.
And here’s the best bit – it only costs $10 a night to rent.
The institute worked from the late Dutch artist’s acclaimed chambre paintings to build the sleeping space, with the clear intent to make it look exactly like the artwork in terms of both style and layout. Viewed from the original angle, it even manages to capture the painting’s striking, distorted perspective.
Airbnb’s listing for the bedroom, which is located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, has been written by “Vincent,” and reads, “This room will make you feel like you’re living in a painting. It’s decorated in a Post-Impressionist style, reminiscent of Southern France and times gone by. Its furniture, bright colors, and artwork will give you the experience of a lifetime.”
Vincent adds that he’s charging $10 “for no other reason than that I need to buy paint. However, I will be happy to provide you with tickets to my exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago.”
The exhibition, titled Van Gogh’s Bedrooms and running from February 14 through May 10, marks the first time that all three of the artist’s bedroom paintings – created at his Arles home in France in 1888 and 1889 – have been brought together in North America.
Art fans lucky enough to snag Vincent’s room for a night may – or perhaps not – be pleased to know that a few modern-day extras have been added, among them Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and cable TV. Whatever would the artist have made of all that?
Anyway, it’s a fabulous marketing move by the Art Institute of Chicago, though one that London’s Saatchi Gallery may choose not to repeat with Tracey Emin’s bed.
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