n haimegallery 730 fifth avenue · hugo bastidas: knowing where you are, 2015, oil on linen, 48 x...
TRANSCRIPT
HUGOBASTIDASIlluminationsIFebruary3–March5,2016OpeningReception:Tuesday,February2ndfrom6to8p.m.
HUGOBASTIDAS:SOSIMILAR,2015,oilonlinen,40x60in.101.6x152.4cm.
ThegrandeurofournaturalworldtakesoverHugoBastidas’largeformatpaintingsinhisnewestexhibitionatNohraHaimeGallery. Bringingtoourattentionthebeautythatweoverlookinoursurroundings,Bastidascreates imageswhererealityandfantasycoexisttoformaconnectionwithhispersonalandpersuasivevisuallanguage.Theseworksareinspiredbyimagesofwoods,jungles,riversidesandgardenstakenbytheartistonhistripsthroughouttheU.S.,EcuadorandFrance.Pairingincandescentlightwithalluringelementsofconnectionsuchascirclingvines,branchesandbridges,hedrawsourattentiontospectaculardisplaysofnatureendangeredbyhumanactions,oftenignoredandabused.Bastidasbrings light intohis grisaille-likepaintingswithadelicate yet awing technique.Playingwith theeffects from theartificialglowachandeliercreatesinthewoods,hereplicatesthemagnificentauraofalituppalaceinthecontextoflushvegetationgrowingwildlyintheopenair.InIllumination(2015)weexperienceasenseofgreatnessthatisemphasizedbythedecontextualizedchandelier,mysteriouslycamouflagedinthemidstofthegrisaille,butfunctioningasthemainsourceoflight.One Sided (2015) continues Bastidas’ ongoing series of bridges, but dives deeper into his complex investigation ofintertwinedrealityandfantasy.Beforeusweseeabridge,theoppositeendconcealedwithovergrownvegetation,invitingustocrossbuthidingwhatliesontheotherside.Itreferencesthenecessaryfluxinaworldwherethereisnostopping,eveniftheendresultisunknown.
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Weseea commonelementof circulation in thesepaintings,ofnaturewrapping the scene,a symbolof thecircleof life,whereeverythingisconnectedinasenseofgrandness.SoSimilar(2015)becomesevenmoreliteral,withcirclesfloatingandovalshanging, a visualmetaphorofhow thedifferences inour cultural andpolitical systemsbecomecontiguous in theirextremes.
HUGOBASTIDAS:KNOWINGWHEREYOUARE,2015,oilonlinen,48x72in.122x183cm.
Bastidasbringsthesesubjectstouswithanintensesenseofhope,hisconcernsbrightenedinthesamewayhischandelierslight up the gloomywoods. In highlighting themajestic beauty of our environment, he points out howwe should stop,becomeawareandcelebrateitastheGrandPaleia(2014)wearefortunateenoughtoinhabit.HugoBastidasistherecipientofaFulbrightFellowshipaswellasaPollockKrasnerFoundationGrant,amongotherawards.HeexhibitswidelyintheUnitedStatesandisrepresentedinthecollectionofnumerousmuseums.
DATES:February3-March5,2016OPENINGRECEPTION:Tuesday,February2from6to8p.m.FORMOREINFORMATIONCONTACT:[email protected]