Taking Van Gogh’s iconic paintings as a point of departure, Zeng Fanzhi provides a Chinese perspective, adding a personal twist to his works. In these paintings that are alive with winding lines, the artist connects his own style and identity to the life and work of Van Gogh. To the vigorous, seemingly inimitable brushwork of Van Gogh’s paintings, Zeng responds with a handwriting coming from a tradition of Chinese calligraphy. Taking meanings from the past and reusing them, he continues to generate valuable new ones. Copying Van Gogh’s famed self-portraits that perfectly embody the artist’s style, appearance, and personality, Fanzhi places his identity, as it were, over that of Van Gogh.