There is a fine line between getting old and getting older, and Professor Emeritus Ben Jones has stood the test of time with his new retrospective show at NJCU’s galleries. As Jones would say, “Life is going to throw all kinds of things your way, but the bottom line is that you have to do the work.” And that is a virtue he has instilled in his mentees and one that he practices daily. This retrospective show reflects his prolific output over the years, although the retrospective only encapsulates a small percentage of his entire career’s catalog; the range of works shows the evolution of his practice.
In the show currently held at the Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery at NJCU, the spectrum of works spans from his first self-portrait from 1960 to his most recent works from 2022. Jones’ work addresses many pitiful issues that reflect the conditions of our times. Issues such as environmental concerns, social and political matters, identity, spirituality, and cultural heritage. When his work was mentioned as activism in an interview, Jones replied “I’ve been an activist all my life.” In a world where consumption is at an all-time high, Jones uses his voice in his works to remind us of the conditions we are in and the implications of our actions. In an interview, Marina Abramovic mentioned that "Ideas come from life", and that seems to be a sentiment that Ben Jones can agree with. Throughout his career, his works have been referenced and paid homage to the ones who came before him and those who have inspired him. His contemporary works feature many phrases and words, fragments of poetry, to illustrate his concern for our world and to spark thought in the audience. Jones has expressed that his goal is to lead the audience to a “holistic consciousness” by juxtaposing and relating images to explore their connections.
Jones’ works carry underlying messages that can be at times confrontational. In Trayvon Martin Wallpaper, 2016, he confronts the audience with an overwhelming painting of Trayvon Martin, a teen who was murdered in cold blood on his way home from the convenience store. In this piece, Jones repeats images of Trayvon Martin in a grid with alternating orientations. Over these images, he paints adinkra symbols that express his regard for the loss of Martin and presents the audience with words such as “Why” or “Hope.” In the foreground of the painting, lies a floor mat with the stripes of the United States wrapped in the colors of the Pan-African flag. In the center of the mat, is a question mark with flowers to the right and guns to the left. The audience is prompted with a question, “Do you want love or war?” In the wake of the murder of Martin, the outrage was palpable across the nation. With many being hurt over the killing some felt the urge to spring into action for revenge. However, with the chair that lies in front of both the mat and the painting, Jones is asking the audience to join the conversation and to be more than a passerby to participate in the dialogue for peace and justice. Shaun Leonardo commented on today's time in term of the breakneck speeds information travels at and the urge to respond immediate but relayed that "Artists need to take in, to process, to decipher, to separate from the noise and create things that are beautiful and impactful to the spirit." Jones' process draws parallels from Leonardo's approach as the paintings resolves itself over a period of time.
In one of his more recent works Connected, 2022, Jones explores the intersection between technology, nature, and spirit. Jones juxtaposes various images and symbolisms to explore the idea of interconnectedness, the understanding that the things in our world are relative to one another, and the connections that can be drawn from technology to nature and beyond what’s on Earth. The use of images contrasts against the painting which invites the audience to think about the creations of man versus the creations of machines. He incorporates images such as cell phones and circuit boards as evidence of our current times but relates it to the life that has existed before us such as the fishes and plants with the painted elements.
Through his works, he emphasizes the importance of being worldly, in terms of being well-versed in not just one place but the entire world. His frequent travels to Cuba and other places throughout the world have granted him the perspective of a global citizen which is displayed in his works. Jones often emphasizes the importance of community and as a result, has become a bridge for many cultures and people to come together. Jones sees no barriers among people and is willing to share his knowledge and wisdom with anyone.
Although he retired in 2010, Jones is still a prominent member of the NJCU community and still has an impact on students and faculty. Carrie Mae Weems expressed that she feels "like I’m racing against the clock”, and Jones' work ethic reflects that same attitude. Jones is prolific within his field and an outstanding educator who has mentored many students who went on to have professional art careers of their own. Alongside The Universe of Ben Jones exhibition at Lemmerman Gallery, the Visual Arts Gallery is currently holding the Constellations exhibition which includes many of his students who he taught at NJCU. Although Jones no longer teaches the educator in him has never left. He has been and continues to be a leading figure in the arts within this community and throughout the world. As Jones continues to create works today his artistic output is something that all artists can appreciate and admire.
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| Connected, 2022 |
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| Trayvon Martin Wallpaper |
Frida Kahlo Response
"Kahlo “carefully groomed her unibrow,” a defiant choice at a time when “many depilatory methods existed. That brow was meaningful because it didn’t conform to Hollywood beauty standards.”
- I find it rather fascinating that she kept an unibrow during this period as the beauty standards for women strayed away from her typical style. I applaud her for not conforming to the Hollywood standards but instead opting to create her own standard. It takes a truly powerful and self sufficient person to swim against the waves that so often dictated what is acceptable and what isn't.
"But Kahlo did not conceal her pain, revealing her casts and leather braces with metal buckles in her work and turning her plaster corsets into art with elaborate designs of flowers, even a hammer and sickle. “She treated these second skins as canvases,” Ms. Small said."
- Although Kahlo had a tough life in terms of her physical conditions, she never allowed it to hold her back from her true calling of creation and expression. She was able to find ways to reconfigure something that was a result of a condition into a means of expression. I take inspiration from her approach and perspective to creation and expression, it's not a matter of want rather a matter of need.
Self Portraits Inspired by Ben Jones and Frida Kahlo
I created these collages from torn news prints and magazines. I was inspired by Ben Jones' approach to their self portraits but also drawing inspiration from Hannah Hoch's collages, I've created collages that carry an essence of me through images that I feel connected to.
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