Pokemon partners with Van Gogh Museum for adorable TCG art collab

In what is perhaps one of my favourite Pokemon collaborations so far, The Pokemon Company International has partnered with the Van Gogh Museum to host a variety of themed activities, launch some adorable merchandise, and release some fantastic promotional cards.

“To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Van Gogh Museum, Pokemon and the Van Gogh Museum have launched an official collaboration aimed at introducing new audiences to the work of Vincent van Gogh,” the press release reads.

It continues, “both Vincent van Gogh’s work and Pokémon have a special connection with Japanese art and culture. Japanese prints had a profound impact on Vincent’s art and on his world view.” Vincent van Gogh held Japanese art in high regard, and the aim of this collaboration is to introduce more people to the life and artwork of Gogh in an interesting and refreshing way.

The Van Gogh Museum will be hosting various Van Gogh x Pokemon-themed activities from September 28 to January 7, if you happen to be local to the museum, which is based in Amsterdam. These will include art presentations, learning material, and classes on how to draw Pikachu!

What is arguably the highlight for Pokemon and Vincent van Gogh fans alike, however, is the merchandise and card artwork that has been revealed. There’s a Pikachu plush in the likeness of Van Gogh, a tote bag adorned with ‘Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat’, and the most adorable Snorlax ‘The Bedroom’-inspired jigsaw puzzle.

On top of that, we can’t neglect the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promotional card for Pokemon’s Trading Card Game, either. This was the first I saw of the collaboration, and it immediately grabbed my attention. Pikachu whisked away into one of Van Gogh’s artworks… on a Pokemon card? Say less.

This promotional card will be available to anyone attending the exhibit at the Van Gogh Museum, and will be sent out with eligible orders from the Pokemon Center website. I didn’t need an excuse to order some Halloween-themed Pokemon merch, but now I have the perfect reason to do so.

Van Gogh inspired artwork of Sunflora, Eevee, and Smeargle has also appeared online and will be shown at the Van Gogh Museum, though it appears that these will not be available as promotional cards like Pikachu.

What do you think of the Pokemon x Van Gogh Museum collab? Will you be heading to the museum, or sitting back at home with Pikachu and his grey felt hat? Let us know.