Meet Benjamin Long

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Benjamin Long a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Benjamin, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

The art department in my school was small, but there was one professor in particular who encouraged moving beyond the basics; to try a different approach and way of thinking; to take risks. That stuck with me, as did the idea of trying to make art that was unlike anyone else’s; to present to the viewer something that could only come from me. I’ve always had a romantic notion of making pictures that could be museum-worthy, of having them be “important”… or at least possessing interest and mystery, as well as being a little challenging.

The trade-off is that this kind of work is not particularly easy to sell or even exhibit. Although in the context of art history (and the art world at large), it wouldn’t be considered radical, revolutionary, or cutting edge; it’s just very personal.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’ve simply been focused on making art and getting it out there to exhibition venues.  I want the work to be seen.  Over the years I’ve had varying amounts of luck with that, showing in both commercial and not-for-profit spaces.

When starting school I expected to do a commercial art / illustration kind of path but ended up in fine arts.  Due to a restless mind and eye, my work has changed over the years.  But it’s mostly been painting, or at least that’s how I see it.

Other artists have told me that I use color well, which is a nice compliment.  Someone pointed out that there aren’t obvious precedents in my work, which is good to hear as I’d rather not be derivative.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

  1. Technical skill (learning the fundamentals)
  2. Persistence
  3. Selling yourself / making connections

Unfortunately I’m really not good at that last one as I’m not a natural extrovert.

The skill you learn; the persistence you just have to push yourself to do, as there is a lot of competition and rejection in this field.  I didn’t grow up with social media, but for those who are fluent in it, it’s a good way to do number 3.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Well, I guess getting older can be seen as a challenge.  It often seems that the up-and-coming artists are the ones that curators and collectors are most interested in, but that’s human nature.  Pushing yourself and taking risks can help.

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