David Bade

David Bade was born in Willemstad, Curaçao in 1970. The drawings, sculptures and installations he has made since the early 1990s contain references to a range of images from the visual arts and popular culture. He has a critical and provocative view of the world and art: cynical yet full of humour.  Bade often uses an intuitive process-based method. The final form of his sculptures evolves during his working process. His materials range from found objects to natural materials such as branches, clay, chalk, paper and linoleum. He frequently uses polystyrene foam, a material that is ideal for the spontaneous expression of his ideas. Bade also makes drawings, that he frequently incorporates in his installations.

His installations are always complex assemblages of various two- and three-dimensional elements, often incorporating existing sculptures. They make a chaotic impression, as snapshots from a process, temporarily fixed for a particular exhibition. Bade often continues work on the pieces and re-uses components in his next show.

Sometimes elements from such installations are lost; either by design or as a consequence of the situation. In 1995 Bade exhibited drawings in the open air at the Venice Biennale. They got soaked and torn in the rain and visitors took the remnants. Bade was not impressed.