GARY BASEMAN

It was a regular lazy Sunday, just like any other, when my editor called and told me I was to interview Gary Baseman. I, of course, engulfed in the daze that often accompanies lazy Sundays of that sort, replied with a “cool”, or “awesome”, or some other mediocre word that has come to signify a person’s interest in something. It wasn’t until I had hung up the phone and about ten minutes had passed that I finally realized what he had said— and sincerely began to question my hearing. Wait. Did he say? Are you sure? He did! Gary Baseman!

This man is no little leaguer. Out on that field, he’s playing ball with the big timers. He has earned himself three Emmys and a BAFTA (which, he says, only people in England know about) for his critically acclaimed animated show “Teacher’s Pet”. And I was not only going to interview Mr. Baseman, I was going to interview him in person. So many questions drifted in and out of my head. What’s he going to be like? Is he nice? What should I do? Or better yet, what do I ask?

An artist like Gary Baseman knows how to take risks. Yes, of course he does know the “rules” of the craft. He has a strong background in the commercial art world and has worked as an illustrator for publications such as The New Yorker and Time, forced to remain within the boundaries they had set for him. Yet once a person knows the rules, that’s exactly when they need to step out and break them a little— stretch those boundaries. He is not content with sticking to the mold of the common artist, wary of straying from the simple tools of paintbrush and canvas.

Baseman is not afraid to use a commercial platform to showcase his work, but he can also delve into more personal outlets. “My goal as a painter,” he says, “is to dig deeper and truly understand my subconscious and not stop myself because of fear of embarrassment or offending someone.”

He has taken the question - what is art? - to a whole new level. His idea of ‘Pervasive Art’ acknowledges that it actually can be found all around us. He says that in his philosophy on Pervasive Art, he is “blurring the lines of all art mediums between fine art and commerce, publications, film, tv, fashion, etc. I believe an artist can participate in all these mediums as long as they can stay true to their aesthetics and message. I have found in this pursuit that I find myself blurring the lines of boundaries in my real life. I feel I have lived too long in a box.”

His work is riddled with intrigue and mysticism. Petite girls with wide eyes and bobbed hair, gaze at you from the page. They are innocence, ignorance, curiosity, sexuality, gore, playfulness— they are every single one of us. I believe that it is in the eyes of his characters that we feel the greatest impact. They have a glazed-over stare, as if they’re waiting for something in an endless trance. It’s as though their large, all-seeing eyes take in so much that, really, they see nothing at all.

One of his most recognizable characters is the mischievous little dog, Toby. With a single staring eye in the middle of his chest, an abnormally long nose, and a hat reminiscent of one belonging to a dunce, Toby is “everybody’s best friend.” He relentlessly offers himself to the little girls Baseman creates, allowing them to do anything they wish with him. You can hold Toby’s hand, tell him your secrets, fall asleep together, or even feast on his insides. Why? Because no matter what you do or who you are, Toby will always love you. He will never judge or turn a cold shoulder. He is our one constant in a world of change.

I must be honest with you all— as I write this story, I am completely terrified. How am I to do an artist like Gary Baseman justice? I am not filling this piece with key “art” terminology or analyzing what he was trying to do in this painting or with that toy. I am simply giving you all my own interpretation, however you wish to accept it.

We are all filled with feelings of inadequacy from time to time. And that is exactly when you need to look at Baseman’s work and find comfort. We are not alone in our feelings of self-doubt; everyday is a fight to prove ourselves or seek acceptance. His characters, although lacking in life and breath, hold the same fears we do. They contain those “small human truths that discuss the human condition within the times that we live.”

Many artists fear placing themselves so directly into their work. But with Baseman, that is the only way we can sustain whatever truth there is left. So next time you find yourself low on self esteem, remember, we are only human. There is no such thing as perfect and you should never feel ashamed of that. Baseman’s art is concrete proof that through our imperfections, truth shines through and makes us stronger.

CHINA SOUL text
GARY BASEMAN image
www.garybaseman.com