Canadian artist in search for a van Gogh look-a-like

Known for his 1991 novel "Generation X," Canadian writer and artist Douglas Coupland announced that he is looking for a look-a-like of the 19th century Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, and is offering 5,000 euros for the best look-a-like exchange for his help, according to an article published in The Guardian.

The artist plans to use the van Gogh look-a-like as a model and make a giant van Gogh sculpture. Coupland founded the website iamvincent.com and asked people to upload their photos if they believe that they look like the 19th century painter and other people to vote. Speaking to the Guardian, Coupland characterized his initiative as "an entertaining project which comes into being for a serious purpose. … I'd like to trigger discussion about new relationships between science, art and globalization." According to Coupland, having red hair is "the last successful human mutation."

The researches reveal that only less than two percent of the world population has red hair, however, the rate increases six percent in the northern Europe. Red hair occurs in people who have two copies of a particular change in a gene that is key to hair and skin pigmentation.

"This project indicates in a very complicated way that we do not know when and how this certain gene will transform. This genetic magic is the microcosm of the fact that all life on earth changes in time," Coupland said.

Coupland promises prize money and plane tickets for the person who wins the competition and a friend of him to travel to Canada for a 3-D printing.

This project is not the first giant sculpture project of the Canadian artist. In 2014, Coupland made an auto-portrait of himself with chewed gums named "Gumhead." Those who believe they look like Vincent van Gogh can upload their photos on iamvincent.com until August 20.