Maarten Baas, regarded as one of the most influential artist-designers of the early 21st Century, grew up in Burgh-Haamstede and Hemmen, the Netherlands. He graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and distinguished himself by his intellectual and artistic style.
Baas is a complete artist and his works encompass conceptual art, craftsmanship, installation, performance, and what have you. What sets this Dutch artist apart is his willingness to take risks, stretching the boundaries of his imagination to pave way for new possibilities. All his works tell a story. He first visualizes the work in his mind and then selects the materials and techniques to work on it.
Baas offers a delightful variety that includes limited-edition, production design, architecture, interior design, theater design, and installations. His first major museum show at the Groninger Museum, the Netherlands, titled ‘Hide & Seek’ coincided with the publication of his debut monograph. World fame came to him for his works: ‘Smoke’, ‘Clay’, and ‘Real Time’. He was also declared ‘Designer of the Year 2009’ at Design Base/Miami, becoming the youngest designer to receive this honor.
Not only this, both his works – ‘Smoke’ and ‘Clay’ – was listed in the ‘Top 25 Design Classics of the Future’ by the New York Times in 2012. ‘Smoke’ was also nominated for both the ‘René Smeets Award and ‘Melkweg Award’. His work – ‘Sweeper Clock’ – won the Artprize in 2016.
With such fantastic work, it comes as no surprise that Baas’ creations are much sought after. Many private collectors, like Brad Pitt, Ian Schrager, Kayne West, and others, own his works. Major museums, such as Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France; Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK; Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; MoMA in New York, USA; San Francisco MoMA, USA, and others, display his collections.
Baas has also worked with some of the leading global brands, such as Berluti, Dior, Dom Ruinart, Louis Vuitton, and Swarovski. He has also created a clock for Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, commissioned by the Netherlands, that can be seen at its international terminal.
Maarten Baas:
