Born in 1978 to Abraham van den Bosch and Leonora van Tellingen in the Dutch town of Zeist, Hugo has one elder sister, Josephine, and one elder brother, Vincent. The most notable thing about their upbringing must have been Bram and Leonora's hippy approach to life. Bram could boast on a rather remote claim to nobility, which translated into a vehemenent interest in history and folklore, a passion he brought to family life in more ways then just stories, dragging the kids to folkdances, insisting on a life without modern day gadgets (tv, radio, and consoles) and trying to bring a little of those past noble glory days into the modern day world.
The flaky Leonora on her part imagined herself to be quite the wise woman of old, bringing to the household not only a 3 foot cast iron cauldron (in the basement, Bram wouldn't stand for it to be in the kitchen), but a little touch of magic every way she saw fit. What she believed anyway - it was never in her nature. The result was a strange mix of new age-y paganism and eco-consciousness: all natural, old fashioned clothing (which the kids got teased with at school without end), a strict vegan diet and more talks about one's feelings then a person could possibly care for. Ever. On the plus side, there were bonfires, fancy dress up parties all year round and a sense of open mindedness which even stood out in Dutch society.
A major downside to life with the Bosch family was Josephine's gift (according to mom) / curse (according to Vincent and Hugo): the ability to listen to other people's thoughts. Leonora embraced Josephine's ability, spending immense amounts of time with the girl - and not spending it with her sons. If the virtual loss of their mother wasn't bad enough, puberty for the two brothers was rather embarrassing with a sister who'd know of each and every single lustful moment, though Hugo always minded less then Vincent.
The entire family was torn asunder a year after new neighbours moved in, as Leonora took an avid interest in the thirtysomething husband, father of two. The two lovers managed for nearly a year to keep their relationship hidde, till one afternoon when Hugo returned unexpectedly early, sent home sick from school to discover his mother and her lover in the throes of passion. Shortly after, Leonora ran off, leaving her husband and their three children without looking back. Bram was devasted and as a result it was almost as if they had lost both of their parents rather than just one.
For Hugo it was the last straw, the final act of betrayal from a barely-there mother. In turn, Hugo eschewed all of the family 'values' that his mother tried so hard to instill in them. The previously cheerful, honest, and engaging son retreated into himself. His attention to schoolwork and study took a dramatic turn for the worse and he found and used every excuse he could to avoid being at home at all. He stopped talking to his family and isolated himself in his own world, delving into art and athletics to keep his mind and body occupied. A year later Jo moved out of the house, which felt to Hugo like both a blessing and a curse - another member of the family gone, but not without planting an unintentional seed in her younger brother's mind.
At the age of 16, closing in on 17, Hugo took a trip with some friends to the United States… and never came back. He wrote a cursory letter to his family, what little of it was left, saying that he was going to live in the US and become a famous artist, that they shouldn't bother looking for him, and that he would never come back because there was nothing to come back to. Unfortunately for Hugo, becoming a 'famous' artist was not as easy as he thought it might be, unrealistic dreams of the Big Apple and the land of opportunity slapping him in the face. For the first few years in NYC, the young man struggled just to survive, working low-wage, under-the-counter jobs trying to avoid getting caught without a Green Card, often squatting in abandoned buildings, peddling what art he could make on the streets in the hopes of making some money and maybe, just maybe, getting discovered.
For many years it was a hard and unsavory life. Hugo had already been somewhat jaded by his mother's betrayal, but this was far more difficult and dangerous. Things had become desperate enough that he had turned to less than legal ways to make ends meet. In the end, Hugo was lucky, though some might not consider it as such. His life was turned around when both he and his art work were found pleasing by an influential gallery owner. A deal was struck. Hugo would have whatever he needed - a place to work, clothes, food, art supplies - and in return he gave a hefty percentage to his new 'patron' of whatever art was sold, along with other… benefits. It could have been worse. He was treated kindly, even fairly. His patron was older, but still attractive, and a shrewd businessman who not only showed Hugo the ropes, but helped him climb them. Within only a few short years the name of Hugo Bosch was being bandied about the art world as the next big 'thing', an artist on the precipice of becoming hugely famous.
It was during this time that Hugo had a most unexpected, and most fortunate, reunion with his family. There was, after all, the rather delicate situation due to his illegal status as a non-citizen of the United States. By the time Vincent had manged to track down his little brother, Hugo was on the verge of being discovered as an illegal alien, the threat of deportation a real one. So the brothers made a deal. Vincent sent Hugo to a lawyer he knew who had connections and methods for getting one through the legal system and a Green Card. And in return? Hugo only had to reach out to his family once again. Now a strong, determined, and assured indivdual, there was not much that one could do to force Hugo to do anything he did not want, but this was a favor that he could not turn down.
Now, riding the high of his success as an artist, Hugo is living the good life. In the art world he is considered a charming rebel, going through relationships as quickly as he goes through canvases. His art work is praised for its sense of color and intensity, its daring and often uncomfortable subject matter, and the way that the figures feel so alive and tangible. He still prefers small galleries and warehouse showings rather than kowtowing to big museums, making corporate sponsored mainstream masterpieces. He's considered to be something of an exhibitionist in the way he likes to provoke people, both in his art and personal life.
Wanting to take a break for awhile from NYC, Hugo has accepted an offer to do an exclusive showing of all new work and a mural for a prominent gallery in Dallas. He's just arrived in the city and plans to stay for a few months, exploring it from his own unique perspective before putting his experiences on canvas, reflecting Dallas through his eyes and brushstrokes.
