Bas Jan Ader was a Dutch artist influential in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. His father, a Dutch Reformed Church minister, was executed by the Nazis for housing Jewish refugees when he was only two years old. After flunking out of art school, he ran away to America where he enrolled in a new art school, married the director’s daughter and began his career as an eccentric artist. But what he is best known for is “In Search of the Miraculous”, in which he attempted to cross the Atlantic in a 12 1/2 foot sailboat. Needless to say, he did not complete his voyage. His body was never found and he was declared dead in 1975.

Nevertheless his art had a great impact on many. Playing with ideas of gravity, he produced his first film in 1970–watch it after the click. Upon perusing his work, one might wonder if this is where Bam Margera got his inspiration. Who knew MTV was producing great art this whole time, and we didn’t even know it!

This article was written in July & is part of the Addie , Archives , Art & Design sections.