Gauguin: A Dangerous Life (2019)

Gauguin: A Dangerous Life Poster

Gauguin’s vivid artworks sell for millions. He was an inspired and committed multi-media artist who worked with the Impressionists and had a tempestuous relationship with Vincent van Gogh. But he was also a competitive and rapacious man who left his wife to bring up five children and used his colonial privilege to travel to Polynesia, where in his 40s he took ‘wives’ between 13 and 15 years old, creating images of them and their world that promoted a fantasy paradise of an unspoilt Eden in the Pacific. Later, he challenged the colonial authorities and the Catholic Church in defence of the indigenous people, dying in the Marquesas Islands in 1903, sick, impoverished and alone.

Film Overview
"Gauguin: A Dangerous Life" is a 2019 biographical drama film directed by Kalinga Deshapriya that explores the life of prominent French post-impressionist artist, Paul Gauguin. Through a non-linear story, the film reveals into Gauguin's momentous journey, as he broke away from indicated realism to pioneer a brand-new genre of expressive, symbolic painting, highlighting the savagery he saw in civilization and the path towards spiritual and poetic license.

Story
The movie's narrative periods Gauguin's life, beginning with his early years in Peru, his visualized success in the Parisian stock market, to his eventual self-isolation in Tahiti, a French nest. The audience witnesses his dissolution from an established bourgeois life to the bare, primal essence of presence, preferring to create and live amongst the locals in forged privacy. Gauguin's mission for motivation in 'unique' Tahiti, his battles with financial concerns, health decrease and criticism back in Europe form the significant plotlines in the story.

Characters & Performances
The film significantly focuses on Gauguin's relationship with his other half, Mette, who dealt with her spouse's precarious way of life, typically bearing the brunt of his impulsive choices, like the abandonment of their recognized life in France for an uncertain future in Tahiti. Additionally, it looks into his controversial relationship with Teha'amana, a young Tahitian girl who became the artist's muse and heavily featured in his art.

The representation of Gauguin's character is intricate and layered as he oscillates in between visionary decision and reckless abandonment. His divorcement from societal norms to intuitively discover a voice within paints an honest photo of the artist's trip to raw, organic development.

Cinematography & Aesthetic
The movie's cinematography encapsulates a vibrant scheme of colors similar to the hue-intensive art created by Gauguin himself, showing his innovative method to painting. Shot on area, the vibrant landscapes and tranquil outlook of Tahiti's untouched charm supply a startlingly contrasting background to Gauguin's energetic brush strokes. Emphasizing visuals over discussions, the film brings out the turbulent inner life of an artist fighting through his own personal fights while working towards producing work of arts.

Conclusion
"Gauguin: A Dangerous Life" is a cinematic exploration of Paul Gauguin's artistic journey, his fights versus societal standards, financial instability, physical diseases, and his battle for acknowledgment in the art world. His decision to sculpt an unique path in art, together with his personal trials and triumphs, forms the essence of the narrative. It challenges audiences to reconsider the boundaries of dedication to one's art and the sacrifices it requires.

The film elegantly catches the genuineness of Gauguin's artistry and the chaos of his life, using an intricate peek into one of the art world's most interesting figures. Regardless of his actions' controversial nature, Gauguin's commitment towards his craft remains an inspiration for generations of artists and advises the audience to reassess the importance of artistic credibility in an ever-evolving world of art.

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