Abdul Vas (born 15 March 1981 in Maracay, Venezuela) is a contemporary artist. He grew up living between Suriname, Guyana, and Belgium. After studies at EAVRA in Maracay and at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam he lives and works in Amsterdam and Madrid. ARC Magazine He has created handmade books and zines, photographs, collages, drawings, paintings and murals.
Vas's work has been discussed and reviewed in Vice,Pete Benesch. Abdul Vas "Horror Movies, Anal Sex, Roosters, Trucks and AC/DC Have Always Made A Fiendishly Fun Combination." Vice Magazine Rolling Stone,Antonio Fraguas. Asi Es El Profeta De AC/DC Rolling Stone ABC (newspaper),Paloma Torres. Abdul Vas: "Mis Cuadros Estan Demasiado Relajados" ABC Esquire,Clara Montagut. Y los pollos dominaran la tierra... Esquire and The New York Times.Helen A. Harrison. Private Expressions, Speaking to the World New York Times In 2009, he was selected for the Beijing Biennale.Beijing Biennale Artists His works are part of various collections internationally, and have been exhibited throughout the United States, Latin America, Asia and Europe.
Work
Abdul Vas work broaches heavily the obsessions of his home country Venezuela with the symbols of the American dream. Heavily influenced by Marc Chagall, Mike Kelley, Al Feldstein and James Ensor, Vas's work heavily consists of depictions of aggressive and well-hung roosters that represent the masculine element of the American cowboy-culture. Therefore, his pictures are full of references to the American baseball team Cincinnati Reds, MLB, Malcolm Young, the Rolling Stones, Slayer, Metallica, the Black Crowes, Muddy Waters, SUVs, rock and roll and the symbols of the North American imperialist power: the Navistar trucks. Another common theme in his work is the Australian rock group AC/DC, particularly lead singer Brian Johnson. Many of his other artworks are named after AC/DC songs or albums.
References
External links Abdul Vas: Artfacts Abdul Vas: Homepage
Abdul Vas: ARTISTS.ORG Abdul Vas: AC/DC STAGE, TEXAS