We recently connected with Ben Venom and have shared our conversation below.
Ben, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I am the Night Rider quilt commissioned by the Gregg Museum.
This quilt combines the quote “I am the Nightrider. I’m a fuel injected suicide machine. I am a rocker, I am a roller, I am an out-of-controller!” in the movie Mad Max with Paul Revere’s midnight ride to alert the colonial militia in April 1775 to the approach of British forces. The horse is substituted for a wolf which is the official mascot of NC State.
Ben, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
In one word my work can be described as a COLLISION. Much like the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland that shoots opposing forces at near lightning speed to create an explosion and release of new energy, I combine various machismo, loud, and disparate elements of culture with a relatively soft functional medium…textiles. Turning it up to 11, pushing past the RED. The idea of masculine/feminine, yin/yang, craft and fine art stitched together with techniques usually relegated to your grandmother’s sewing circle. I see a new wave of craft within the fine art world where artists are using many handmade techniques to construct their work. The artist’s hand has shown up again and is very evident within this wave.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I enjoy working the most…always working. For me the process is the best part as things are always changing throughout the entire process. The end is the just the beginning again.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Laws of Simplicity – John Made The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
William Morris Textiles
Disposable: A History of Skateboard Art – Sean Cliver
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self- Susan O’Malley
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.benvenom.com
- Instagram: @benvenom
- Facebook: Ben Venom
- Twitter: @mrbenvenom
Image Credits
All Photos by Randy Dodson