Why Van Gogh Had to Die First

High art has a secret: it only cares about names, not talent. Only the artworks by famous artists are recognized as a kind of art. Lesser-known artists’ work would never find a space on the wall in a museum or a gallery.     

There are many wonderful paintings around the world, but people have never recognized them; this is an enduring problem. For example, Van Gogh’s work is famous, right? It took almost 50 years after his death for his incredible paintings to become known to the world. Why does this happen? It is because of our superficial mentality.   

Think about it: if there is a boy born into a rich family who studies a lot about art, and another boy who is poor and just starting to learn drawing. The world would consider the rich boy as a better artist and having greater potential. However, what the world does not see is that this poor boy might become another Van Gogh. We don’t measure art by talent—we measure it by wealth and reputation. 

There was an artist named Henry Darger. He was not known to the outside world. He lived a simple life, working as a janitor, but was passionate about making art. He made his art quietly and alone in his little apartment. After he died, people discovered hundreds of drawings and stories in his room. His drawings were wild, imaginative, and unlike anything people had seen before. Now his name is synonymous with outsider artists—those who never received formal art education or training. People usually don’t think beyond what they see. They just use their eyes to evaluate what they see without using their brains or their hearts to feel it.  

 This is how superficial our world is—that's not exactly a masterpiece... 

Will is a 9th grader with a sharp sense of humor and a knack for pointing out life’s ironies. When he’s not writing essays about the world’s superficial habits, he’s probably cracking jokes, making witty observations, or finding the funny side of serious topics. His writing blends humor with insight, inviting readers to think twice about what they see on the surface.