Bas Meerman (1970)
Imposing sizes, up-front subjects, savage colour fields and bold lines; these are the elements from which Bas Meerman constructs his paintings, lithographs and drawings. Meerman finds his inspiration in the tradition of predecessors like Edouard Manet (1832-1883), while at the same time feeling the urge to innovate. Meerman experiences the act of painting as an athletic feat, and sees art as a means of taking a hand in the creation of his own reality. He paints alone, without using models. Describing why he prefers to paint his figures from memory, Meerman says, 'With someone in my studio, I feel constrained by how a person really looks. When you don't work with a model, the only reality you have to consider is the reality of the painting.'*
Since 2005, Meerman has returned to oil painting exclusively, and he has further distilled his subjects into purer lines, smoother, more gradient colours and more stunning contrasts. His oeuvre comes from his drawing diary, which he populates with studies of his personal life, erotic figures and current events in pencil sketches and watercolour.
* D. Linssen, ‘De voyeur in de toeschouwer ontmaskerd’, NRC Handelsblad, 04.03.1997
