Donald Baechler’s work deliberately evokes childhood and the sense of wistfulness and longing associated with this time in our lives. He is also deeply interested in pop culture and collects kitsch images and objects that reflect this passion. He has thousands of photographs in his collection. Born in Connecticut in the United States in 1956, Baechler began his artistic career at the Maryland Institute College of Art in the mid 1970s. From there he went to the Cooper Union in New York City and onto the State Academy of Fine Arts in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Once his education was complete, he returned to the US and settled in Lower Manhattan in 1980. He was a key part of the exploding art scene at that time. Despite his love of pop culture and childhood nostalgia, Baechler’s focus has always been on the formalities of creating art. He said: “For me, it’s always been… about line, form, balance and the edge of the canvas.” He’s created works in paint, print, sculpture and often uses a mix of mediums to express his vision. A late-period Pop Artist, he is heavily influenced by the first wave of this movement, including Roy Lichtenstein, Alex Katz and Andy Warhol.
