Robust Moribund & the Charnel House
Robust Moribund & the Charnel House is Basqo Bim’s first solo museum exhibition. Rich with expression, emotion, and suggested connection, Bim’s handmade masks act as windows into fantastic worlds.
New Orleans-based artist Basqo Bim assembles found objects into mixed-media sculptures imparting distinct personalities. Between jewel-toothed smiles, orange grimaces, and haughty tassel mustaches, observers are invited to interpret the relationship between the characters peering back at them. Whether appearing to you as brothers, foes, or bandmates, these entities offer a passage through which we can confront and embrace the myriad facets of our being.
“Robust Moribund” is the giant guardian welcoming all who approach his hall. His paradoxical name and looming countenance remind us of the inescapable contrasts that make up our world. Each mask, a marriage between the discarded and desirable, invites consideration of the choices we can make in our own transformational life journeys.
Do you see strength or fear? Triumph or defeat? Joy or regret?
As you make your way past the masks, read their stories and choose for yourself.
Artist Bio:
Through thoughtful assemblage of discarded objects, Basqo Bim weaves together threads of identity, narrative, and possibility. A self-taught sculptor and costume fabricator, Bim draws from his interests in story and cultural symbolism to create works pure of character.
Seamlessly combining references from his Colombian-American and Southern roots with upcycled materials, Basqo Bim offers a chance to explore the multifaceted dimensions of humanity through variously whimsical and frightening forms. Influenced by cinema, lowbrow genres, and depictions of body horror, Bim’s work represents a unique blend of popular references negotiated through traditional material culture forms that tend towards exaggeration.
Beyond his independent practice, Basqo Bim is an active member of The Front and Colectiva Manos. Dedicated to nurturing a dynamic, inclusive artistic landscape, Bim enjoys bringing his creations to life in collaborative multimedia and film projects.
Photo: Romero & Romero Photography
