Van Gogh Reborn!

Chapter 245:

245

Banksy (4)

-Let’s talk more when we get to Paris.

Bang Tae-ho gave me some good news.

He said he would take care of the corporate operation of the artist community that we haven’t named yet.

“So, are Han-na Lee and Ye-eun coming to Paris too?”

-Yeah. I’ll settle down first. They have things to prepare too. They’re not in a hurry.

That’s understandable.

They have to deal with administrative procedures like visas and they have to communicate at least basic things even if they go to a language school.

-By the way, you were amazing.

“What do you mean?”

-Drawing at the Place de la République. It was a riot, wasn’t it?

“Yeah, a lot of people gathered yesterday. Some reporters came by too.”

-It became a good issue. It was nice that you drew with the kids. Was that your plan from the beginning?

“Well, it was too wide for me and grandpa to do it alone. I wanted to do it with everyone if possible.”

Through grandpa’s conversation.

I realized that discrimination, hatred, and fear stem from ignorance.

Leaving aside the people at the extremes.

Both the French and the Muslims might be afraid and reluctant of each other because they don’t know each other.

Not all French people discriminate against races, and even more so, they don’t commit hate crimes.

Likewise, not all Muslims commit terrorism.

Grandpa and I looked it up.

Many European cities joined the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism after 2020 and have been devising and implementing preventive measures against racism.

The same goes for Muslims.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) designated terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and IS as ‘terrorist organizations that must be annihilated’.

Many people are excluding extremists who cause fear and even actual damage to ordinary people.

It’s fortunate that the state and the group are blocking them by law, but there are definitely limits to the law and regulations.

No matter how much they regulate and say that they should respect and live with each other, it doesn’t resonate even if it’s right.

Because humans judge by whether they like or dislike rather than right or wrong.

Artists like me should step up and comfort those who suffer between the extremes, and also become a bridge that can understand each other.

See and feel the same thing.

Enjoy the same thing together.

If that creates even a little bit of intimacy, maybe that’s where it starts.

-I think it’s good. If you approach them like that, the public will someday like art.

Bang Tae-ho brought up a hopeful story.

Yeah.

I believe that as I gradually get in touch with the art that has been isolated from the public, I will be able to approach them more friendly.

“I hope so.”

-Yeah. See you next week then.

“Okay.”

I finished the call and went downstairs.

“Grandpa, Tae-ho said he would take care of the company.”

Grandpa was loading paint on the car.

He must have prepared generously since we ran out yesterday.

“That’s good.”

“We agreed to talk next week.”

I helped grandpa move the paint and got in the car.

“Can we stop by the mart on the way?”

“Are you buying snacks?”

“Yes.”

We ran out of snacks to share as much as we ran out of paint and brushes, so I bought a lot of snacks at the nearby mart.

Grandpa’s 2028 Ford F-150 was filled with painting tools and snacks.

“We’re here!”

“Brother!”

We arrived around 10 o’clock, a little later than usual because of the market, and I was surprised by the kids who ran up to me.

They must have been waiting.

“What are you drawing today?”

“I, I can draw better today.”

“Are you giving us snacks today?”

Whether they were waiting for snacks or wanted to draw, I was touched by the fact that so many kids were waiting for me from the morning.

“Let’s eat the snacks after we clean up. Should we start with the trash?”

“Yeah!”

While the adults were scrubbing the walls and the streets with water, we were sharing some snacks. I noticed a kid who looked about ten years old.

He seemed to want some snacks, but he didn’t come when I waved at him.

Maybe he was shy.

I approached him with a few snacks in mind, but he backed away slowly.

“It’s okay.”

I smiled and offered him some snacks, but he hesitated and looked around.

“You can take them.”

I urged him again, and he finally came closer.

“Did you come alone?”

I asked him as I handed him the snacks. He nodded.

“Do you want to help me? I’m drawing some flowers.”

He looked confused and tried to give back the snacks.

“I can’t draw…”

I didn’t want him to feel pressured, so I asked him to help me. But he seemed to think that I was giving him a task instead of a gift.

I opened the snacks and gave them back to him.

“It’s okay if you can’t draw. There are many other kids who are drawing for the first time.”

I looked at the other kids who were gathered around and met his eyes.

He hesitated a few more times, but he nodded without saying anything. He looked so pitiful, whether it was because of his environment or his personality.

But he didn’t seem to hate it, so he smiled and put the snacks in his mouth.

“Is it good?”

He could smile like this.

“What’s your name?”

“Adley…”

“I’m Hoon. Let’s go.”

I took Adley to the place where I had the drawing tools, and the other kids came over.

“Are you drawing now?”

“Yeah. Let’s get one brush each.”

“I want this one!”

“Aw, I wanted that one.”

“What’s your name?”

The kid who got the brush.

The kid who showed interest in Adley.

The kid who was still focused on the snacks. They were all different, but they looked happy.

“You can copy or draw whatever you want.”

“I want to draw a plane!”

“Good. Draw it cool.”

There were so many kids that I couldn’t keep track of them. The grandfather who was popular with the kids was also having a hard time.

“Are you not teaching us how to draw sunflowers?”

“We’re doing it now. Come on, everyone. Dip your brushes in the paint. Just make a circle. Adley, you try too.”

“I know how to do this. You make a circle and then use a small brush like this.”

“That’s not how you do it.”

“Yes, it is. That’s what the older brother did.”

“Hoon’s sunflowers are much prettier than that.”

“Well, that’s true.”

They were bickering, but they were also sitting close together and drawing sunflowers. I felt warm in my heart.

The kid who wanted to draw a plane gave up halfway and joined the others in drawing sunflowers.

Adley also made some friends quickly.

“Adley? I’m Olivier.”

“Olivier.”

“Yeah. Use this. This brush is better.”

“…Why?”

“It’s bigger.”

“Olivier!”

I was startled by a sudden loud voice.

The other kids were also surprised and looked up like meerkats. A woman who looked like Olivier’s mother came rushing over.

“What are you doing here? Come on.”

She tried to drag her son away, as if he had run away from studying.

“I want to draw.”

The woman glanced around and pulled her son closer and whispered to him.

“You can’t play with that kid.”

I heard the words I didn’t want to hear, as I was close by. Adley’s face, which had just brightened up, darkened again.

“Why?”

“He’s a Muslim.”

“So what?”

“Why don’t you listen to me? Come here quickly.”

Olivia dropped her brush as she was dragged away by her mother.

I picked up the brush with a bitter feeling and the kids started whispering.

“Is he a Muslim?”

“I don’t know.”

“What’s a Muslim?”

“Hey, give me more paint.”

“You did a good job!”

The kids quickly forgot about Adley being a Muslim and went back to their own activities.

Kids are much better than adults.

I approached Adley, who put down his brush as if he wanted to run away.

“It’s okay if you want to go.”

“…”

“But I hope you know that it’s not your fault. If you want some snacks or want to draw more, come back tomorrow.”

“…”

“You’re always welcome.”

Adley didn’t answer and walked down the street.

The YouTuber Alex Wood came to Paris to find new content for his channel.

He couldn’t stay still when he heard the news that Goseulyeol and Ko Hun were transforming the street of artists with the citizens.

“Hey, everyone. Today I’m in Paris. I’m on my way to Dallida Square, but do you know why I came here? Goseulyeol and Ko Hun are painting on the street. And they’re doing it with the kids. According to the article in Le Monde yesterday, they did it with dozens of people.”

Alex read the chat as he continued his speech.

“Why do they bother spending their own money on something that doesn’t pay? I think you’re all curious about that. But honestly, you don’t have to worry about Goseulyeol and Ko Hun’s wealth. Oops!”

Alex pretended to slip his tongue and covered his mouth. The chat was filled with question marks.

└?

└He crossed the line.

└LOL, he’s right. Goseulyeol is a millionaire even without his art. Who cares about who’s worried LOL

└Ko Hun is no joke either. His Giamseong art book is selling over 800,000 copies.

“I think this is really cool, aside from the money. Art is blending into everyday life. If they become more friendly like this, who knows if they’ll visit the museum later?”

Alex Wood recalled the incident that shook the art world due to Damien Carter and praised Goseulyeol and Ko Hun’s actions.

He thought that Goseulyeol and Ko Hun had to take the initiative to recover the art market that was tainted by tax evasion and money laundering.

“Oh, there they are. I hope there are more people than yesterday. Let’s go check it out.”

Alex Wood hurried to Dallida Square.

“Wow.”

Hundreds of sunflowers bloomed along the brick hill.

There were very delicately drawn sunflowers, palm-sized sunflowers by the kids, and giant sunflowers as tall as adults.

Different sunflowers filled the street and the wall, and the kids who were painting in their own spots.

It was a sight to behold.

Alex Wood and his viewers felt like they had entered another world.

└Crazy LOL

└So cute. Don’t the kids look like they’re stuck in a flower bed?

└It looks more impressive because you can see everything at once on the hill LOL

└I want to dress them up as bees.

└But there aren’t as many people as I thought?

└Right? It looks less than what the media reported.

“Did you see that? I’m speechless. I thought I was in a fairy tale book.”

Alex Wood, who exaggeratedly delivered the scene, spotted Goseulyeol and Ko Hun.

“Oh, there they are. I don’t know if they’ll agree to an interview. But I’ll try anyway. Hello! Mr. Artist!”