Patrick Painter Inc. currently has an exhibition of works by Bas Jan Ader called “The Studies” at

Bergamot Station that will be on

display through March 9.

This exhibition features never-before-displayed

vintage photographic studies of some of Jan Ader’s most influential works.

Ader (1942-1975) was a Dutch born California-based

artist who mysteriously vanished in 1975 when he set sail on what was to be the

smallest sailboat ever to navigate the Atlantic. 

He was in the process of completing the third part of

the project “In Search of the Miraculous.” Now, more than 30 years after his

disappearance at sea, he is more influential than ever before.

In this exhibition, the gallery revisits one of the

initial works of that project by displaying the unseen vintage studies for “In

Search of the Miraculous” (One Night in Los Angeles). This series was first

exhibited in 1975 at the Claire Copley Gallery in Los Angeles and consisted of

18 photographs depicting Ader walking from night until dawn, beginning in the

Hollywood Hills ending at the Pacific Coast.

The studies grasp the same visual imagery as those

photographs from the original series, but these allow the viewer to delve

deeper into the Ader’s photographic romanticism.

In, “I’m Too Sad to Tell You,” Ader’s most poignant and

enigmatic work, the artist reveals himself in the act of crying. This work was

documented through both photographs and video and was performed in 1970 and

1971. In this exhibition, we take a look at vintage studies from the two

performances. The performance was first photographed and printed on postcards

and mailed to Ader’s closest friends with the inscription “I’m too sad to tell

you” on the image. The studies display candid shots from one Ader’s most

personal of works.

Ader graduated from the Otis College of Art and Design

in 1965 with a BFA, and from the Claremont Graduate School in 1967. 

After graduating, Ader taught at many institutions,

including Mount San Antonio College and the University of California,

Irvine. 

His works have been exhibited at various institutions

including: Museo de Arte de Zapopan, Guadalajara, The Pitzer College Gallery,

Claremont, The Camden Art Centre, London, Museum of Modern Art, New York, and

Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

Ader’s work is also currently on display at the Museo

d’Arte Moderna di Bologna, Italy and will be displayed at the Galerie der

Gegenwart, Hamburg, Tim Van Leere Gallery, Antwerp and the Martin Klosterfede

Gallery, Berlin this summer.

Public viewing hours are Tuesday through Saturday from

11am to 6pm. The gallery is located at 2525 Michigan Ave. B2 (Bergamot

Station), Santa Monica.

For more information, call 310.264.5988 or visit patrickpainter.com.