Bas Jan Ader

Winschoten 1942 - Atlantische Oceaan 1975

Bas Jan Ader was born in Winschoten and studied, together with people such as Wim T. Schippers and Ger van Elk in Amsterdam at the Institute for Applied Art (now the Rietveld Academy). In the early 1960s he studied art and philosophy in California. Photography and film play an important role in his work that is largely made up of performances. He exhibited regularly in the United States and Europe. In 1975, he set off alone to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a small sailing boat as part of his work 'In search of the Miraculous'. He disappeared during this trip; a year later his empty boat was found off the coast of Ireland.

Peter Bakker