This Is the Artistic Pokémon Collaboration I Never Knew I Needed

The Pokémon Company has given us plenty of intriguing collaborations before. Brands like Clarks, Puma, and Converse have produced limited-edition Pokémon shoes, McDonald’s has sold dozens of Pokémon-themed Happy Meals, and Pokémon has even teamed up with Oreo to release cookies embossed with celebratory Pokémon designs. Now, however, Pokémon has announced one of the most unlikely collaborations of all time: Pokémon and Vincent van Gogh.

Yes, it’s true—the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is teaming up with The Pokémon Company. Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh is one of the most celebrated artists of all time, though tragically he never got to experience that fame while he was still alive. Some of van Gogh’s most beautiful and memorable paintings include Starry Night, The Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, and multiple self-portraits. Over a century after his death, van Gogh’s use of color and technique is still unrivaled.

The exact details of the collaboration are unknown, though The Pokémon Company has released a promotional trailer and confirmed the event will commence on September 28, 2023. Watch the video here and marvel at all the happy Sunflora it features.

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We’d guess this artistic endeavor will reveal more van Gogh-style Pokémon paintings to be featured in the Van Gogh Museum—though anything is possible. Whatever this collaboration may produce, it looks like I might need to travel back home to the Netherlands for a quick trip to Amsterdam.

Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time Pokémon has collaborated with museums or artists. Over the last few months, several Japanese natural history museums have featured the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit, in which Pokémon fossils are lovingly recreated, and American artist Daniel Arsham has also collaborated with Pokémon multiple times, crafting gorgeous Pokémon sculptures to be showcased in museums and galleries across Japan.

The Van Gogh Museum’s collaboration could certainly be something similar, and I can’t wait to learn more.

(featured image: The Pokémon Company)