Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery is thrilled to announce John Madu’s new solo exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, titled Van Gogh x John Madu: Paint Your Path from 30 May to 7 September 2025.
John Madu drew on his West African perspective to create his own versions of Van Gogh’s paintings, introducing local narratives to a global audience.
In his vivid paintings, John Madu explores themes including identity, globalisation and cultural cross-pollination. He takes elements of European art history and blends them with everyday imagery from West Africa. His paintings forge connections across cultures and resonate with people all around the world. John Madu was not only inspired by Van Gogh’s painting style but also by his life:
“I definitely see parallels between Van Gogh’s journey and my own, particularly in how we deal with loneliness. Making art can be a solitary pursuit, and there’s also the pressure of society’s expectations of what it means to be an artist.”

John Madu is a Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist born in 1983 in Lagos, best known for his figurative symbolic style of paintings. His work can be described as eclectic because of how he derives ideas, from a various range of influences and sources based on popular culture, African history, art history and personal experiences.
John Madu has been featured in exhibitions internationally and has collaborated with international brands such as DIESEL and Bombay Sapphire.