Artifical Gallery

Brooklyn-based artist Bast has been an intricate part of the street art scene for the past 10 years throughout New York and Europe, where his wheat-pasted images are prominently displayed across the urban landscape. Interestingly the artist himself has remained an elusive character that has rarely been seen in public and whose very existence has been debated. Little is known of his work outside of what the public sees throughout New York's urban environment, but fortunately, more has become known as Bast's images have evolved to gallery-exhibition status in recent years.

Since 2003 his work has been in numerous group shows from Japan to LA, to Colorado, New York, London and Berlin, with his exposure quickly increasing. 2005 saw his first New York solo exhibition at the Transplant Gallery, which also celebrated the release of his limited edition book, REVOLUCION DE PAPEL (which features an introduction by UK artist Banksy, who said "Bast is an artist who represents Brooklyn. He does this by writing 'BAST-BROOKLYN' on other people's property - and in one case when visiting London the side of a moving red double decker bus. He does this by speaking with a deep Williamsburg drawl that makes Al Pacino sound like a girl, but mainly he does it by making art that actually feels like Brooklyn. The borough is said to contain every culture and race that exists on planet Earth but that doesn't necessarily make it interesting - so does the United Nations building but who wants to look at that? The key to Bast's appeal is not being very responsible. The work isn't so much a 'melting pot' of culture as a food blender, set on max and left until the motor burns out. His art is fast and loose and cheap, which is strangely why it endures, it's punchy and it has value. As the great disgraced film producer Robert Evans once said 'it's irreverence that makes things sizzle, it's irreverence that gives you the chance of truly touching magic...' ").

From a gallery perspective Bast's works on canvas appear to be a complete departure from what he presents on the street: they are aggressive and bold, offering a fresh take on Punk art and appropriated imagery from all media.

Bast is credited with influencing the collective artist group FAILE, with whom he has collaborated with on numerous occasions. Such collaborations have been displayed on the streets as well as in joint exhibitions, however he now enjoys critical acclaim and a loyal following as a successful and well-respected solo artist.