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, presented in Barcelona in 2006, this drawing is part of one of Gary Baseman’s most characteristic narrative cycles. Drawing occupies a central place in his practice: it is the medium through which he develops characters, stories, and ideas that can later be expanded into painting, animation, or installation. In *Venison*, Baseman also emphasized that these works on paper were conceived as final, stand-alone pieces, not as preparatory studies. Many of them were created during his stay in Barcelona using local materials.

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 location, several of the exhibited pieces were drawn using handmade paper produced in Barcelona.

Gary Baseman has developed a multidisciplinary career spanning drawing, painting, illustration, animation, and design, forging a highly personal language that bridges popular culture and contemporary art. His work has gained wide international recognition, and in 2013, the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles dedicated “Gary Baseman: The Door Is Always Open” to him—his first major museum retrospective. He is also the creator of the Emmy-winning animated series *Teacher’s Pet*.