We began shooting the first episode of the feature-length documentary series miamiHeights on December 6, 2007, opening day of “Hernan Bas: Works from the Rubell Family Collection” in Miami. Just last week we wrapped our final scenes after a visit to New York for the Brooklyn Museum’s opening of that original Rubell exhibition.

Our film about a turning point year in the career of a Miami artist premieres with a special screening at the Brooklyn Museum’s Cantor Auditorium on Sunday March 29 at 2pm. Hernan Bas is scheduled to appear for Q&A.

Here are some actual frame grab images of our New York shooting, the day before the show opened:

Installation in progress…

“The Burden” is almost ready

After the artist’s walk-through, with Director Arnold Lehman
and Deputy Director of Art Charles Desmarais

Frame grab images from opening night:

Conversation with the artist, Charles Desmarais
and audience in the Rubin Pavilion

Don & Mera Rubell in the audience

Up from Miami came Fredric Snitzer,
Bas’ first dealer and current Miami gallerist

During the opening night presentation, Bas was asked which living artists’ work he most admires. In that short list was Rachel Feinstein, whom we interviewed the following weekend in her Tribeca studio. She shared her thoughts and observations about Bas’ work, and about being regarded as an art celebrity.

The artist Rachel Feinstein in her studio

While in New York we also visited collectors Shelley Fox Aarons (Brooklyn Museum Trustee) and her husband Philip Aarons. The couple gifted a Bas painting to the Brooklyn Museum last year (along with Howard Wolfson), and shared their thoughts about the appeal and sensibility of Bas’ work. Below is a production snapshot taken during our interview:

Interviewing Shelley Fox Aarons & Phillip Aarons
in their Upper West Side apartment

Glenn Scott Wright is Director of the Victoria Miro Gallery, Bas’ dealer in London. He came to New York for the exhibition, and the night after talked with us about an art market in troubled economic times, where Bas fits in, and why.

London gallerist Glenn Scott Wright at a friend’s loft in Chelsea

After the special premiere screening in New York, we will present the Hernan Bas edition of miamiHeights in the home city of Miami. Venues will be announced on this blog and on the FaceBook Wet Heat Project group page.