Artist Statement

My work is an exercise in capturing the essence of a soul. I paint subject matter in a state of being unmasked emotionally. I look for unguarded moments where the true nature of a person is visible. Emotional in nature, I paint these real moments on large scale canvases. As I am painting I transfer my own emotional experience into the process while also being affected by my perception of the subject. This ranges from my imagination of a stranger to real interpersonal relationships with close family members. Each step and layer of paint mirrors a life experience. Not all layers of paint are visible, yet they affect the outcome of the whole just as the subconscious mind affects our outer lives. My goal through painting is to bring the subconscious into awareness.

Bio

Benjamin Parks (b. 1978, Fairfax, Missouri) is a Kansas City based artist whose primary focus is painting large-scale portraits and figurative work. He is also involved in illustrations, interactive installations, music, printmaking and sculpture. As a visual artist, he has shown many original works in galleries and museums throughout the country, including the The Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art, Leedy Voulkous Art Center, the Foundry Arts Centre, the Lawrence Arts Center, the Cee Flat Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, the KCAC, and the Hilliard Gallery. Parks’ work has been acquired for private collections and museums throughout the country