British stripe painter Harry MC has unveiled a new series of intimate stripe paintings inspired by his recent discovery of rarely seen rooms at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the psychiatric clinic in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence where Vincent van Gogh resided in 1889–90. These first-floor rooms, which include Dr Théophile Peyron's office, a 19th-century pharmacy, and the hydrotherapy baths van Gogh mentioned in letters to his brother, have been closed to the public for decades and only recently became accessible.
During a fieldwork trip to Provence, Harry photographed these spaces, not for historical documentation but as material for his art. "The moment I stepped onto the first floor, everything felt naturally geometric," he remarked, describing the interplay of light and shadow as "readymade abstractions."
The hydrotherapy room, with its heavy steel tubs and flaking paint, and Dr Peyron's ochre-toned office, provided rich inspiration for Harry's work. His new paintings, unlike his usual large-scale pieces, are smaller and more intimate, capturing the essence of the Saint-Rémy interiors. One canvas features ochre yellows, deep greens, and blacks, reflecting the colours of the Provence landscape and the asylum's interiors.
Harry's technique involves a drybrush method, allowing colours to blend softly, creating a human touch within the structured vertical lines. The new series can be viewed on his website, harrymc.co.uk, alongside photographs from his Provence fieldwork. This exploration not only adds depth to Harry's artistic repertoire but also offers a fresh perspective on van Gogh's environment.
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