Passion
and violence are inextricably linked. In the pursuit of the
alchemy of dandyism, Bas embraces both the decadence and nastiness
of pleasure. In Burning Up For Your Love, Hernan
Bas imagines his young lovers’ forest rendez vous with
a look of aggression. Bas’ painting descends into a
maelstrom of expressive gestures: trees twist with charred
malice, encased by a necromantic mist. Bas styles the blanket
with carnal suggestion: its sinful red hue, replicated in
the splashes and splatters of leaves, suggest a more brutal
form of forbidden love. The natural physicality of one young
man is given an ethereal glow, presented as an almost god-like
form, while the other man lies darkened and bruised. The aftermath
of their indulgent tea party remains as litter.