Voyage KC Magazine, Meet Benjamin Parks

Written By Ben Parks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Parks.

Hi Benjamin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in a high control religious environment, which has influenced my work more than I like to admit. I spent the last 6 years creating massive portraits of my family with hidden messages that resulted in a musem exhibtion at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art. This has been an invaluable process of familial healing.

I use a graph in most of my large-scale paintings to keep the composition correct. For this series, I utilized the grid as part of the piece. Each square has a letter in it… the letters comprise a message to each family member. I started this series as a therapeutic measure. I was letting out anger and sadness through the painting process, and writing the messages in the paintings. So it’s deeply personal for me. Through the last five years of working on this series, it has transformed into a healing and meditative process.

My artist statement sums up my mental process when painting:

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.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been super smooth. For example, I secretly applied for scholarships to attend art school… but my parents were not supportive of me going to school (because of the religion). I resented this for many years.

I fluttered aimlessly with my work in my 20s and 30s. But, I kept going and learning and grinding.

I simultaneusly blew my life up and broke free of the shackles that were holding my art career back. I was kicked out of the religion. Although it was a struggle to lose my family and friend circle, this is what liberated me and my work. However, and most importantly, my son has always been in my life through all of this.

That being said, I do feel a healing and more at peace with the situation. I understand and love my family more than ever, even though some of them still shun me. I am ready to move on from this subject matter and start on my next body of work. This includes a series about my first true spiritual experience… surviving an attempted car-jacking/shooting.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am mostly known for my large-scale portrait work. These are exercises in mediation, healing and capturing a brief moment in time. The scale of these large paintings are striking. The style of work creates three expereinces for the veiwer. The paintings appear to be hyper realistic when viewing from far away or on a digital platform. Then, as the viewer moves closer, the work begins to fall apart a bit. When examing the work up close there is a lot going on. This ranges from abstract forms and fluttering pencil marks to highly finished realism.

What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Just keep going, no matter what.

Contact Info:

Ben Parks
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