ANTHONY BAUS
“When I’m drawing my aim is to be in a constant state of wonder.”
Anthony Baus will be sharing his unique experience of wonder in an upcoming exhibition of drawings made from life on the streets of New York and Chicago. For those who are familiar with the terrain of these two cities the images will be at once recognizable and yet transcend the bounds Photo by Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times
of mere time and place to beckon the viewer into a present day city reimagined as an ancient myth.
Several years before Baus began studying at the Grand Central Atelier he found future inspiration in the soon to be demolished remains of historic buildings in Chicago as the sole employee of an urban salvage company. Sifting through piles of relics destined for either the junk pile or a museum cultivated an appreciation not just for architecture but for history itself.
"There were stories in these objects that were hand made and patinated. Things crafted with skill and built to last and then discarded and forgotten".
As a student at the GCA, these impressions led Baus to frequent departures from the studio to sit on sidewalks and study the grandeur of pre war buildings. "The Renaissance led me towards more 'classical' buildings and these kinds of structures lent themselves to drawing because there were enough organic forms and sculptures to balance out all of the straight lines. I saw the potential to hide symbols and images in ornament". Wandering through concrete canyons, Baus found points of departure and doorways opened before him.
"Of course, when we're dealing with history, it's not merely doors that open, but giant arched thruways tended by angels and cherubs. Cavernous halls obsessively decorated with mesmerizing ornamentation and crumbling staircases leading to fading murals of ancient symbols and messages. One day, I had a realization; I was exploring the past to go into the future."
As he honed his mastery of drawing and painting, Baus initially chose to hide his more personal self behind his skill. "As a young painter I wasn’t concerned with the viewer but only that I was good at technique. My personal story was buried in metaphor and described by old symbols in an unrecognizable language. Now I'm trying to reconcile this by pulling inspiration from my surroundings, looking at the world with my eyes wide open."
His current work is the culmination of years of developing a unique aesthetic of architectural rendering that draws upon a myriad of influences. Buildings are presented from multiple views and then woven together in single compositions. Sepia wash and graceful pen strokes evoke the high Baroque while the figures populating the environments are unmistakably denizens of the 21st Century.
The effect is indeed wondrous and perhaps unsettling if one expects the conventional. The viewer is advised to meticulously inspect the details of each picture where unexpected surprises await. Text by: Michael Fetherston
A PAINTING DEALER'S DRAWINGS: FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO TODAY ROBERT SIMON FINE ART 22 EAST 80TH STREET, 4TH FLOOR NY FRIDAY 21 JANUARY - SATURDAY 29 JANUARY 2022 PREVIEW AND ARTISTS’ TALK: ESCAPING THE FUTURE PAST SALMAGUNDI CLUB LIBRARY 47 FIFTH AVENUE THURSDAY JANUARY 20 6-7PM Attendance is Limited Reserve Your Seat