Opening Ceremony
March 16, 2012
Hernan Bas at Lehmann Maupin
By Sofia Cavallo
¬What the devil are Hernan Bas' lush, painted magical landscapes, currently up at Lehmann Maupin gallery, all about? Prompted by the devil's representation in poetry, musical compositions, and television, the tableaux are a portal into a place where the real mingles with the magical. The young Miami native's wild and vibrant symphonies on the canvas (think furious Cezanne-like brushstrokes, splashes of windex blue, and spring green that's so bright it looks acidic) depict the devil as inhabiting a luscious yet spooky space (gnarled trees, rickety houses with potion-like smoke billowing in the windows) where men go to contemplate alone and flirt with destiny. Titled Occult Contemporary, the show is a neo-romantic fantasy that shouldn't be missed.
Occult Contemporary is on view from March 15th through April 21, 2012.