Ponti Art Gallery is interested in buying and selling works
of art by this artist.
Hernan Bas Biography
Hernan Bas, born in 1978 in Miami, Florida, is a distinguished American artist whose work intricately weaves together themes of adolescence, literature, the paranormal, and queer culture. Bas's upbringing in Miami, a city known for its vibrant culture and aesthetic allure, significantly influenced his artistic vision. His early exposure to the city's obsession with idealized male beauty during the 1980s and 1990s prompted him to critique such superficiality through his art, notably using materials like SlimFast in his early works to comment on societal standards of male beauty.
Bas's education at the New World School of the Arts in Miami, where he graduated in 1996, laid the foundation for his artistic career. Despite briefly attending Cooper Union, Bas left after one semester, feeling that his early and intensive art education had already provided him with the necessary training. His career took a significant turn when he began working for the Rubell Family Collection in 1997, after his talent was recognized during his first exhibition at Miami Dade College in 2000. The Rubells were among the first to support his work, marking the beginning of Bas's ascent in the art world.
Bas's art is characterized by its focus on androgynous young men, often depicted in moments of introspection or amidst surreal and fantastical landscapes. These figures, which Bas refers to as existing in a "fag limbo," embody a fragile in-between state, navigating adolescent identity crises and the transition to adulthood. His work exudes an atmosphere of "ridiculous discomfort," with his subjects finding themselves in bizarre and brightly colored scenarios that reflect Bas's rich imagination and his fascination with the literary and artistic culture of the late 19th century. Influences from artists such as Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Odilon Redon, and Caspar David Friedrich are evident in his work, alongside contemporary artists like Elizabeth Peyton and Peter Doig.
Bas's paintings are not merely visual feasts; they are deeply rooted in literary inspirations, drawing from the works of Oscar Wilde, Joris-Karl Huysmans, and other decadent writers of the 19th century. His exploration of queer eroticism and the dandy figure is a recurring theme, presenting these characters in lush, romanticized settings that challenge conventional narratives of masculinity and beauty. Bas's landscapes, too, are imbued with a sense of the otherworldly, reflecting his interest in the paranormal and the mysteries of the natural world.
Throughout his career, Bas has held numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide, showcasing his ability to navigate between reality and fiction, the grotesque and the beautiful. His work has been featured in prestigious venues such as the Kunstverein Hannover, the Brooklyn Museum, the Saatchi Gallery, and the Venice Biennale. Bas's art is part of the permanent collections of several major museums, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, as well as the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
Now residing and working in Detroit, Michigan, Bas continues to captivate audiences with his intricate depictions of youth, beauty, and the fantastical. His work invites viewers to delve into a world where the boundaries between reality and imagination blur, offering a unique perspective on contemporary subcultures and the enduring relevance of historical and literary narratives in the modern age.
Hernan Bas Quotes and Sales of
Works
Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the
artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and
evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current
market values.
If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the
artist, contact us immediately.
If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the
works:
Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back,
and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of
the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work
and any kind of available documentation (purchase
receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One
of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We
guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme
professionalism.
If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us
and let us know your request. We will inform you about the
available works. We also offer the possibility to
subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, through which you will be
informed at the beginning of each month about the latest
acquisitions of the art gallery.
You can send us pictures of the work: