Pitzer Art Galleries present Bas Jan Ader: Suspended Between Laughter and Tears, opening on September 30. This exhibition brings together pivotal works by the late, Dutch-born, California-based conceptual artist, Bas Jan Ader, and ten contemporary international artists who continue to be influenced by Ader's central themes and concerns. Bas Jan Ader, who is presumed to have perished at sea in 1975, left a small body of work that centers on short-duration acts of physical and emotional release.
Suspended Between Laughter and Tears refers to Ader's exploration of the tenuous point between comedy and tragedy in his work and provides a context for the artist's overarching themes and strategies by addressing the living aspects of his practice. The exhibition will feature Ader's original artworks including video, photography, installations and archived materials from his estate.
While this exhibition argues convincingly for the historical significance of Bas Jan Ader's groundbreaking conceptual and performative work, it also makes connections to the present by the inclusion of the ten contemporary regional and international artists whose works address the legacy of Ader's practice.
