Wk 6- Artist Conversation- Benjamin Kaida

Exhibition Information

Artist: Benjamin Kaida, Oscar Pearson, Melanie Nuccio, and Michelle L. Flores

Exhibition: Near Far

Upon my visit to the art galleries at LBSU, I decided to look at the art installation “Near Far” and got a chance to speak with one of the artists Bejamin Kaida. Benjamin is currently and 2nd year attending Long Beach State University. He is hoping to finish college in order to obtain his B.A. in Drawing and Painting. He states that he chose to major in Drawing & Painting because, “you can never get bored with art.” After he graduates, he is hoping to get into grad school to get his masters.

Benjamin has created 2 painting in contribution to this installation. One of the painting is a large monochrome painting with a splash of color near the walls. When standing near it, we get the visual of a large horse in our faces. The monochrome colors hint that the room is dark with a hit of light coming from above. The colors on the will give it a big pop. The other painting is essentially the same except it only contains monochrome colors. There is also no light above making it a strictly dim room.

Near Far is an exhibition that examines the psychological and physical notions of distance. In Benjamin Kaita’s paintings he investigates human being’s relationship to nature. In his art piece, he conveys how we distance ourselves from the open and natural world through increasing urbanization. Benjamin shows how in our fast growing world we become physically isolated and distant with the natural world. His drawings are essentially of a depressed horse in a hospital. This shows how urbanization is the root cause of the physical world deteriorating.

Going to this exhibition was a very eye opening experience. It made me realize and understand the different perceptions of distance. As an animal lover myself, I totally resonated with Benjamin’s painting of a distraught horse in a hospital. It made me feel more empathetic with the natural world and made me want to appreciate it more. The other artworks in this exhibition also challenged the idea of long distance with my loved ones, and brought up feelings of longing for.