Hot off the heels of a major retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum, Hernan Bas β the wunderkind of the Miami art scene β is furiously finishing paintings for his next solo show in Manhattan, with the Venice Biennale looming. He's confident it'll all come together. This is, between reruns of Desperate Housewives and books on tape.
Have you tired of the "rising star" moniker? The focus on my age is expected, I guess, but at the same time, I'm 31 years old. That almost makes me a veteran.
Sexuality and mythology have been prevalent themes in your work. What's in store for the NYC show? It's based on the weird world of fascism and performance art from the '20s and what I perceive futurism to be. What I thought it was and what it actually is are completely different. It's not about The Jetsons. It's about the motion of the human body and its relation to the speed of cars, not the horse and buggy.
How many paintings are you currently working on? Three. I can't do more than that because I'd lose my mind. I haven't even started on the Venice show yet. I literally have one month to do that whole show.
Yikes! Sometimes I have to ask myself, "What was I thinking doing all of these shows?"
Does pop culture factor into your work? It's a weird phenomenon. I can't stand silence while I'm painting and I've listened to every song on my iPod and every audio book possible. Now, I'm hooked on Desperate Housewives. It's so embarrassing, but it's really good.
Through July 10. Lehmann Maupin Gallery, 201 Chrystie Street.; 212-255-2923, lehmannmaupin.com