The Itinerant Museum of Art calls van Gogh lovers to offer naked bodies as canvas

The aim is to exhibit on their naked skin the works of the legendary dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, as a tribute to him.

ItiMa, The Itinerant Museum of Art, launched a call for a global Homage a Vincent van Gogh on July 29th, asking van Gogh lovers to offer their naked bodies as a canvas for a tribute to the great Dutch artist. ItiMa is also inviting artists who can paint like van Gogh to participate in this global tribute. The Homage a van Gogh will be presented on the naked skin of neighbors in the central streets of key cities around the world. The Vincent van Gogh Huis supports ItiMa's Living Art Homage a van Gogh, "because it brings Vincent's art closer to people", stated its Director Ron Dirven.

The Living Art Collection by ItiMa will bring the true spirit of Vincent van Gogh to people of all social and cultural backgrounds. Van Gogh stated: "I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people".

The Living Art Collection was created by Fernando Morales-de la Cruz, founder of ItiMa, The Itinerant Museum of Art, in an attempt to democratize access to arts and culture. ItiMa is a 21st century museum working to unite, educate and inspire through art people of all social and cultural backgrounds. Morales-de la Cruz and his team have already presented Living Art pieces honoring: Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Miro and Yves Klein in the centers of: Basel in Switzerland, Brussels in Belgium, and Bonn, Cologne and Frankfurt in Germany.

Vincent van Gogh's lifelong wish was to be accepted just the way he was. He was inspired by nature and by humble people and was humble himself. Morales-de la Cruz believes that: "Vincent van Gogh would be saddened to see how elitist and segregationist the art world is today". Van Gogh, namely, said "I see drawings and pictures in the poorest of huts and the dirtiest of corners". "Unfortunately, many in the art world use and abuse his art works and name to market luxury brands", said Fernando Morales-de la Cruz, Founder of ItiMa. During his lifetime, van Gogh was disappointed to see how art was treated as a commodity. "Vincent van Gogh would be disgusted to see how his works are now considered a currency and how other artists like him are not accepted by elitist cultural institutions".

Morales-de la Cruz invites women and men of all ages and complete families, of all cultures and social backgrounds, to honor Vincent van Gogh on their bare skin by joining this special Living Art tribute. All people interested should contact ItiMa by sending an email to vincent@ItiMa.org and join Homage a Van Gogh via Facebook ItiMa - Living Art Collection . There are facebook pages in seven languages. ItiMa is also inviting artists to participate in this tribute. All artists capable of replicating the work of van Gogh should send digital samples of their work to vangogh.art@ItiMa.org.

The Homage a Vincent van Gogh is part of the Living Art Collection created by Morales-de la Cruz. It seeks to pay tribute to the true spirit of van Gogh and other legendary artists. An Homage a Gustav Klimt and a tribute to Frida Kahlo have already been announced by ItiMa. ItiMa is creating with this effort a revolution, in the way art is delivered, experienced and lived.

ItiMa hopes to present the Homage a Vincent van Gogh in at least 30 major cities during one year until July 2013. The selection of cities depends on the level of interest by the neighbors and the local support by authorities for the project. Among the first cities that are being explored are: Amsterdam, London, Paris, Groot-Zundert (his native village), Cologne, Bonn, Berlin, Brussels, Antwerp, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Arles, Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, Cape Town, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Fransico, Minneapolis, Sao Paolo, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puebla, Guadalajara, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Kiev, Beijing, Tokio, Sydney, Moscow and Saint Petersburg. In each city Morales-de la Cruz seeks van Gogh fans, artists and the support of art lovers, students, philanthropists and the local and national authorities to transform a few of the neighbors into uniquely inspiring, walking and breathing Living Art pieces.

For Morales-de la Cruz "every human being is already a work of art worth more than any other art piece". He believes that it is extremely important, when appreciating van Gogh's art, to never forget that van Gogh faced discrimination due to his views about art, his humble clothes and even his love for humble people. "Today's art world might admire van Gogh's art but would never welcome or accept such a man in their world".

Morales-de la Cruz reiterated his invitation to all van Gogh lovers in all corners of the planet to join this democratic art project, for which all needed is to email vangogh@ItiMa.org or contact ItiMa via facebook ItiMa Living Art Collection.

Honoring the life and spirit of Vincent van Gogh by making his works accessible to all on the naked skin of his fans is a unique tribute to the humble and inspiring Dutch artist. It is a special way to Paint a Better World.