Following a worldwide search for a Vincent van Gogh doppelgnger, Canadian author-turned-artist Douglas Coupland has unveiled a giant bust of the Dutch artist that he created with the help of 3D scanning at a Canadian vineyard.

Coupland was commissioned by Anthony von Mandl, owner of Martins Lane Vineyard in Kelowna, to create the work, the first in a series titled Redheads that apparently looks to connect thefact that both Pinot Noir grapes and red hair are the results of genetic mutations. To wit, the grapes are the result of natural mutations in Burgundys vineyards over centuries, whilered hair is a fluke in human genetics. Both represent only2 percent of their respective populations, according to Coupland.

This genetic magic in both redheads and Pinot Noir grapes is a microcosm of the way in which all life on earth evolves with time, writes Coupland.

The likeness of van Gogh furtherif somewhat gruesomelyextends to the fact that the bronze bust is sans one ear, though a statement from the winery says the sideways positioning of the sculpture suggests listening to the ground to hear the grapes growing. A quizzical viewer might note that while van Goghs red hair is the ostensible heartof the overall concept, the sculpture is in fact entirely grey.

Douglas Coupland with vineyard owner Anthony van Mandl. Courtesy Martins Lane Winery

Couplandismost famous for his 1991 debut novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, which sparked the monikernow cemented forever in popular culture. He began making art in 2000 and has had numerous public artworks on display around the globe.

This past fall, Daniel Baker, an actor from Dorset, England, won Couplands van Gogh lookalike competition. At the time, Coupland wrote on the competitions website: Id spent months looking at van Gogh lookalikes on a computer screen, and then suddenly there was this man, this Vincent van Gogh, hopping out of a Vancouver taxi, looking like hed just stepped out of the year 1889.

Baker was selected out of1,250 entries from 37 countries, following a popular vote open to the public that drew 500,000 submissions. The prize included a5,000 award.

Bakers head was 3D-scanned usinghundreds of cameras to generate multidimensional facial data. The data was then used to create a likeness of van Goghs head.

Though this is the first commissioned work in a planned series, there is no word yet on what other artists the winery plans to work with. Asked why the winery started with van Gogh, a spokesman told artnet News: Simply put, Vincent van Gogh is probably the most famous redhead that ever lived.

Follow this link:

There's a Strange Reason Why 'Gen-X' Author Douglas Coupland Put a Giant van Gogh Head in a Vineyard - artnet News