Bas Jan Ader: I'm Searching ...

Rediscover the oeuvre of the influential Dutch conceptualist known for his final project that saw him lost at sea

Published with Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg.

On July 9, 1975, Dutch artist Bas Jan Ader (1942-75) set out from Cape Cod to cross the North Atlantic as part of a three-part conceptual project titled In Search of the Miraculous. Though an experienced sailor, he was never seen again. Yet Ader left behind a profound body of work that resonated on both sides of the ocean that claimed his life. Marking 50 years since his disappearance, I'm searching ... resurrects Ader's career through seminal pieces such as Please Don't Leave Me (1969) and I'm too sad to tell you (1970), which influenced works by other better-known conceptual artists such as William Leavitt and Martha Rosler. Previously unpublished images from his 16mm films, slides, installations and even Ader's own personal photographs are contextualized both within the world of conceptual art and without, including a eulogy to Bas by his brother, Erik.