JAMES BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
ARTIST MONOGRAPH
2023
Artist Monograph,
In search of a departure from the traditional canvas support, James Benjamin Franklin created paintings in the realm of objecthood that employ time, texture, and unrestricted materiality. Beginning with organic and tactile support of his invention, the artist creates deep surfaces that hold layers of secondhand fabric, carpet, towel, and pools and trails of paint, sand, and glitter The essentiality of the work emerges from its construction, governed by the will of its materials — of gesture and solidification in response to mass and gravity. As such, Franklin pursues the unfamiliar and welcomes chance, unable to predict how his materials will accept or counter his movements in paint. What results is a body of work full of life and activity that touches the realm of sculpture and imbues the memory of process, material history, and the artist’s reciprocity.
I had the pleasure of collaborating with James Benjamin Franklin, an abstract artist based in Detroit, to produce his latest monograph that chronicles his works created between 2017 and 2023. The 200-page book features a design layout that helps to illustrate the texture and essence of his work. In addition to showcasing his latest artworks, the monograph also includes documentation of his previous installations, writings, bio, and an artwork index.