Bastiaan Johan Christiaan "Bas Jan" Ader (1942-1975) was a Dutch multidisciplinary artist who explored themes of identity and departure in his short, but significant art life. Ader was lost at sea in 1975 between Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States and Ireland, when he set out to sea from Cape Cod in a small sailing boat as part of an attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean. His empty boat eventually washed up on the coast of Ireland. There is some speculation that his final demise (and the way he went about getting there) was his ultimate performance. You can see more of Bas Jan Ader's work on this lovely website.
