Studio Journal

Bloomberg New Contemporaries http://newcontemporaries.org.uk/about/submissions

Ben Hodson — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 02:35:55 +0000

Bloomberg New Contemporaries http://newcontemporaries.org.uk/about/submissions

Trialling the new squarespace note app. Beautiful design.

Ben Hodson — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 14:32:30 +0000

Trialling the new squarespace note app. Beautiful design.

Finishing off the Rationale and book

Ben Hodson — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 04:07:08 +0000

I wirte this from a Hotel in Dublin, where I am finishing the Ratinale in a book design. The brief says display in an appropriate format and for this project nothing short of a book seems appropriate. It has been quite a journey and I have enjoyed the last two years. I feel my research has meant a lot to my practice and vise versa. THe way I view my work, the ideas that underpin it and the context it is in is vastly different to when I started. Even without gaining the qualification, I know that this time will be very useful to my practice and career as I move forward. Thank you to all my tutors and staff who have helped me over the years!

Preparing the final prints

Ben Hodson — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 21:43:00 +0000

Although everthing that I have done is presented on this website/blog, I also prepared a series of large scale prints to show off the final work. As I am in Ireland as I write this I have had to get someone to hand it in for me. It is wonderful feeling getting to a final hand in and completing everything within plenty of time. I have throughly enjoyed the MA and the journey it has taken me on. I would cerrtainly reccomend it to anyone!

Reflection: Where does documentary end and art begin?

Ben Hodson — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 09:05:00 +0000

In understanding my practice I have had to ask questions such as where does documentary end and art begin? This question was easy to answer several years ago, but no I find myself flirting with these two distinct areas in different ways. Artists such as Luc Delahaye blur the distinctions further (interestingly his work is one of my personal favourites). I personally think that as I regularly interact with the space in front of the lens, then my practice fits more comfortably within an art context, however, I mostly present a documentation of what I have been performing/constructing etc, so the relationship is inherently more complex. When you document something there is an implied relationship to the truth, although this can be heavily scrutinised in an era where “to photoshop” is a verb. This uncomfortable association with the notion of truth is one of the defining practices of documentarians, where as artists seem skilful and intentional at lying or bending the truth to suit their aims and objectives.

Planning the exhibition

Ben Hodson — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 10:22:25 +0000

For the degree show, I have been mocking up what a large scale montage of the peace mountain would look like. I have printed and stuck small versions of the prints to get a sense of the look/feel and to help approximate the scale.

The whole engagement with both places as subjects is to see what can be achieved in positive intervention. The final exhibition will attempt to start dialogue about the tensions both in Luton and Iraq and the relationship between the two places. I aim to print and display the final works on large digital c-type prints and have considered recreating the peace for Luton mountain in a large photo-montage, which I collected the images for at the site.

Reflection: My journey

Ben Hodson — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 21:09:00 +0000

My journey as a creative has led me from being a painter, to a photographer to an artist who uses intervention and social responsibility as a central medium and theme. My practice is fundamentally focused on two concepts: art as intervention, and how creativity can have a positive impact on the world. My primary reason for engaging with the place and subject of Iraq is related to but not solely due to its recent dramatic history. It is creeping off the media’s agenda and we have a responsibility not to forget these people. There are still numerous stories that still need telling. The mainstream media gives us one impression of a place, I have attempted to get behind this and reveal the real people and their stories.

Exhibition: Art 6 group show

Ben Hodson — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:30:00 +0000

I am exhibiting with 5 other artists in a group show in the Crypt gallery in St Martin in the Fields by Trafelgar Square.

Peace for Luton!

Ben Hodson — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:37:00 +0000

It is important that the final stage of this project be showcased to the people of Luton. The centerpiece of this is a large painted mountain in the Iraqi desert, near a significant cultural border. I painted the slogan Peace for Luton on the side of it. To understand the project and why I facilitated this dramatic and seemingly random event, you need to understand the context.

The recent re-enactment refers to the Peace for Kurdistan project in 2000 by Ismail Khayat. I have connected this initial exciting event to a more generic and worldwide context as a peace symbol. As an artist from Luton, it seemed right that I use this dramatic and beautiful symbol as a rallying point to wage peace.

Iraq Exhibition

Ben Hodson — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:00:52 +0000

Here are some photos form my solo exhibition in the Ismail Khayat gallery in Iraq June 2012.