Basner Fine Art Gallery – A Q&A With One Of Our Most Talented Local Artists

Vegas Legal MagazineCan You Talk About What Inspired You To Open A Gallery In Las Vegas?

Mario Basner: Las Vegas is my home. Since 2006. In 2017, when I was ready for the release of the “Beelitz Sanatorium Series”, I spent a lot of time thinking about how to best present this material. Even though I was approached by world-renowned galleries about representation, at the time it was more important for me to share my extraordinary experience with a wider audience. I needed a lot of wall space to do this, so I opened my own gallery. We had originally planned a six-week exhibition in Tivoli Village, but the Las Vegas community reacted with incredible enthusiasm. The gallery is now a mainstay of Las Vegas culture and art, as well as a center for philanthropy. I am proud to announce that we’ve been serving collectors for seven years.

VLM : Please discuss the evolution in the arts scene of Las Vegas during the time you have lived here.

MB: I have lived in Las Vegas for 18 years and the arts scene is certainly more refined. It holds great promise for the future. In the years before the launch of Covid, I was able to observe a number of developments that were exciting and inspiring, such as the Arts District and the proposed Art Museum, and also other venues with a diverse and passionate audience. Core Contemporary. Although the pandemic has slowed this momentum, I remain confident that Las Vegas’ future for art is bright.

VLM: What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns have on your business? How did you recover?

MB: Although the gallery was only closed for two months in 2020, dealing with an unprecedented situation was difficult. Early on, we made the conscious decision to make progress despite uncertainty and low foot-traffic. We gave the gallery an updated look and created a brand new website. We also added e-commerce functionality and wrapped the building in 30 ft wraps to increase visibility.

VLM Who is the artist who inspired you to create what you do today?

MB: The German artist Gregor Toerz is the one I have to give credit for. I was inspired by his story and his dedication to the work he created. This gave me the courage to pursue my own dreams and to develop the stamina necessary to take on significant risks, especially at the time we opened our gallery.

VLM What would you choose to come next to Las Vegas?

MB: The Art Museum is something I would like to see in the near future. It will play a major role in making Las Vegas a destination for the arts over time.

VLM: Recently, “stolen artwork” has been in news. After claims that the artwork was stolen in World War II, it has been removed from Chicago’s Art Institute as well as museums around New York. What do you expect this issue to be in the future?

VLM Does the Southern Nevada Community Support the Arts as Much as Needed for Artists to Survive?

MB: That’s a loaded answer. One hand, I think that it’s the responsibility of an artist to find their audience and put themselves out there in order to succeed. On the other, it can be very difficult to achieve this without the community’s support. It took me a lot of hard work and consistency to get established and maintain that goal. I worked 80 hours per week and believed in my work and myself. After I had shown this dedication to my work, I was recognized by the community as well as other community leaders. Las Vegas has so many cultural offerings: the Smith Center; the LV Philharmonic; the NV Ballet. The Library District also offers beautiful exhibition spaces. Las Vegas is a community that supports the arts, and I think this support will continue to grow as more experiences and offerings are made available.

VLM What do we need do to educate Nevadans of all ages on the importance art?

Simply inviting the audience to experience something is a great way to engage them. When guests are inspired by an artistic experience, they realize its significance because it is relevant for them.

VLM: Can you discuss your philanthropic efforts?

MB: From the very beginning, we have been a philanthropic company. This was a natural and logical choice in light of the materials displayed in the gallery. I wanted to find a way that would allow me to be the most effective and embed a program into the DNA of Basner Fine Art. My wife and I created the Mario Basner Passion Project Fund at UNLV College of Fine Arts in 2022. This fund provides mentorship and funding to photography students. Other donors and Zeiss lenses provide additional support. This unique grant program encourages the students to develop a project that revolves around a theme that is important to them personally. Students who are selected can travel to any part of the world in order to complete their projects, which may be life-changing for some. This is an amazing program that offers students a lot of opportunities. We saw in the first year a project that was based on Native American culture, and another student is going to Italy at the end of January. We are currently writing the project proposals for 2023 – we’re very excited to see what passion projects these students will undertake! You can follow their journeys in real time on Instagram under hashtag #mariobasnerpassionprojectfund

VLM: Can you talk about the decision that you made to move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas as a German-born immigrant? Was it difficult to adjust?

MB: I’ve lived in the US now for 28 years. I first moved to Los Angeles, where I spent 10 years. I have been a professional musician in the US for over 25 years. A music assignment brought me to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2006. I fell in love instantly with the city. The community was very warm and welcoming. From the very beginning, I felt at home.

When I walk them into the gallery for the first time, what will they see? What can I expect to see immediately?

MB: I have a gallery that is unique and quite different. The gallery is a unique experience. The images take the audience on an emotional journey, allowing them to connect with their subject. The experience is immersive, and you can literally feel the depth and dimensions. This is intentional, because I want to share my experience with the audience. It really puts the audience into these environments, making it a personal experience.

VLM: How do you select the art?

MB: In general, all of the images in this gallery show architecture that is purposeful. They are also extraordinary environments with a rich history. Many of these are historic. They all have an interesting story.

The inspiration I get from the environment is what inspired me to choose this theme. Since I am not a reader, the main reason I chose this theme was the impact that these historic environments had on my life growing up in Europe. It certainly helped me to be grounded in my values. This really impacted my life and opened up my future. Libraries are more than just places to learn. This is where dreams are created.

The last time something of this magnitude was captured was many years ago. This is material you can’t find anywhere else. These historic cellars are fascinating and you get to see them in a way that you wouldn’t be able to. The libraries are environments. They are treasures.

VLM: Can you give me examples of these libraries?

MB: One of the most famous libraries in the world is the one located in Dublin. It’s a very special place, an exceptional environment and also very well-known. You can also visit the Morgan Library, which used to be JP Morgan’s personal library. Now it is a museum and a piece of American History.

Almont Abbey is also a very important piece of American History. Austria’s attention monastery library is a must-see. It is the largest monastery in the world.

VLM: What inspired you to create the library collection and how did the idea come about?

MB: It’s a great experience. I try to capture, if you like, the spirit of the building. It was my second series. My first was a documentary on a 19th century abandoned hospital that was built in 1898 to treat tuberculosis. It was at that moment I discovered my voice, my purpose, and unknowingly I put myself to work for it. That’s where my signature style really came from. Because of what I meant, the libraries were the second series which came to my mind immediately. The environments I have been in before have meant a great deal to me, because they helped me grow as a person later in my life. The environment and experience they create is one that opens up the world to you.

VLM: Where in Germany are you originally from?

Hamburg

VLM: How old were you at the time you came here?

MB : 27 or 28 years old.

VLM: In what year did you visit a sanitorium for the first time?

Two visits began in 2013. The main project was completed in 2014.

VLM: What made you choose photography instead of, say, painting? Was it a natural progression, or was there a reason for your choice?

MB: Since the 1970s, I have been a photographer. I enjoy it because it’s real and not fictitious. The subjects are real and I enjoy it very much. As for libraries, I am not a reader. The books are not as important to me as the impact that these historic environments had when I was growing up in Europe. Every time I feed my soul, I feel nourished.

This is material you can’t find anywhere else.

VLM: You know, we’ve already touched on it a bit. But if we were to ask you about your future plans, beyond opening up new art galleries, what can we expect from Mario Basner in the near future?

MB: I believe there will be a book published at some point. I have been involved in many international exhibitions.

VLM: Tell me about your collection of the sanitarium. How did you come to know this? Was it your inspiration?

MB: It’s fair that I found that location. I learned about it from a social media post, and was compelled by the urge to document it. This happened later in that year. As I entered the buildings, I felt something that I had never experienced before. It changed my perception about myself and my world. You could say that I discovered my own values. I also found my purpose. This inspired me to do everything I have done since then.

Valerie Miller, a journalist with a distinguished career in the Las Vegas Valley, can be reached at (702) 683-3986 or [email protected]. She can be reached at (702) 683-3986 or [email protected].

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