Modest Hide and Seek.

The Brooklyn Museum is facing criticism for the exhibition of work done by Hernan Bas, with many of the arguments surrounding the idea that the museum has lost intellectual and ethical credibility.  Bas's work chiefly draws on erotic nostalgia and adolescent fantasy, such as David Hockney and Elizabeth Peyton do in their works, Bas's images resemble old-time boys' adventure novels, yet his work fails to profess aesthetic or psychological ground.  This blast against the Brooklyn Museum has not to do with Bas's work itself, but rather the accordance of the Rubell family, the owners of most of Bas's work, to curate and execute the show.  The main reason for such an attack against the museum is the immaturity seen in Bas's work, strongly questioning his importance in the art world, primarily because Bas has not found himself as an artist.

The job of an artist is to explore their creative ability, constantly changing their style, to perfectly express the constant motion of the mind, at least, that is how I have understood the actions of an artist.  It allows a viewer to witness the progression and impact of culture upon the artist; a timeline, if you will, no dates required.  The argument that Bas's work is of less importance that critics pose holds no water in my mind.  Examining art for what it could be strips away the importance of a work, and a conclusive connotation made from question what the work could be if the artist had progressed any further should be considered trash.

Bas's work itself is quite interesting, leaving the viewer often question the story leading up to the frame captured. The colors are too garish to personally enjoy the work, in this exhibition specifically.  If Bas had utilized one or two of the vibrant colors he seems to favor with more subtle hues, I would be able to appreciate the subject matter more.  All in all, the works are overpowering, but still worth checking out.

You can view selections from the exhibition by following this link.