Gary Baseman

GARY BASEMAN (Los Angeles, California, 1960).
Untitled. “Venison” series, 2006.
Colored pencils and graphite on paper.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Work from the “Venison” series, originally exhibited at the “Mercado” gallery in Barcelona in 2006.
Measurements: 31 x 24 cm (image); 54 x 47 cm (frame).

Part of the “Venison” series, exhibited in Barcelona in 2006, this drawing is part of one of Gary Baseman’s most characteristic narrative cycles. Created during his stay in the city using local materials, it combines spontaneous linework and restrained color with the imagery of hybrid figures and a naive appearance that characterizes his work. The central, almost totemic figure and the characters accompanying her introduce the familiar tension between tenderness, strangeness, and a certain unsettling element. Baseman conceived these drawings as standalone works, not as preparatory studies.

The exhibition revolved around a visual narrative featuring one of his recurring mysterious characters: the “wild deer girl.” After his time and experiences in Barcelona, the artist returned to Hollywood to continue expanding this series based on desire, nature, and vulnerability.

As a special touch and a nod to the venue, several of the exhibited pieces were drawn on handmade paper produced in Barcelona.

Gary Baseman has built a career spanning drawing, painting, illustration, animation, and design. His work has gained widespread international recognition, and in 2013, the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles dedicated “The Door Is Always Open,” his first major museum retrospective, to him. He is also the creator of the animated series *Teacher’s Pet*, which has won Emmy and BAFTA awards.