bio. statement. cv.

b. 1994. phoenix, az.
— lives/works in phoenix, az.

founder and director of belhaus.

deriving from an affinity for minimalism and abstraction, belassen echoes a process he refers to as subtle over sound. this self-coined concept references the intensive and chaotic underpainting process inherent in his work, while subsequently hinting at his desire to subtly communicate a story, thought, or feeling. deceptive in their simplicity, his paintings convey depths of meaning through abstract subject(s) paired with playfully handwritten words, either painted on or scratched-through a fast-drying acrylic surface. highly textured, deeply personal, and physically demanding, his work reflects the duality of the human condition, marking moments in his life that only he can fully comprehend.

in 2020, the “essentials” lists were born. what originally began as text-based, oil pastel works on paper literally listing out items “necessary” to quarantine, quickly evolved into something more than that. realizing the storytelling potential of a string of cleverly crafted words — whether promiscuous, tongue-in-cheek, “normal”, in french, struck-thru, or just seemingly nonsensical — belassen found his voice, while still leaving room for mystery. decode the lists, and you’ll discover inside jokes, double-entendres, and deeper meanings in a series that presents as poetic as it does artful, as curated as it does a random train of thought.

his original paintings, and works on paper, are in private collections across the united states, mexico, europe, the united kingdom, asia, and australia.

click to view available essentials lists.