"Wer sich als Tourist nie unbehaglich fühlt, ist kein guter Tourist"
American painter Hernan Bas has created a new series of paintings inspired by Venice and its tourists, drawing from his long-standing relationship with the city. His first encounter with Venice came through an invitation to exhibit at Bruna Aickelin's renowned gallery Il Capricorno, and he has since shown there multiple times, considering Aickelin his Italian connection.
This article matters because it offers insight into how a contemporary artist engages with the complex phenomenon of mass tourism, finding "prickling moments" even in questionable tourist behavior. Bas's perspective challenges the typical critique of tourism, suggesting that discomfort is an essential part of being a good traveler, and his Venetian-inspired work reflects a nuanced artistic response to one of the world's most visited cultural destinations.