Ben Javens
We caught up with Ben Javens to ask him a few questions about his creative process, influences and what the future holds for him.
Ben Javens
Interview by Kacey Bradford
Where are you originally from and where do you currently live and work?
I grew up in a small Yorkshire town called Ossett, but moved to Birmingham to study fine art at university and somehow ended up staying here.
Can you tell me a little bit about the mediums you work with?
I use the computer for most of my work because it allows me to have more control over how things look, even though I try to include elements that look like they are out of my control. I guess what I mean is I try to make things look handmade and subject to human error even though they aren’t because I can just undo my mistakes with the click of a button. I do try as much as possible to be more hands on. I also do some screen-printing and the odd bit of drawing and painting, but I’m not as confident about the real life marks that my own hand can make.
How long have you been drawing and screen-printing?
I’ve loved drawing ever since I was a kid but don’t do nearly as much as I’d like to. I’ve tried to keep sketchbooks, but it always feels like I’m trying too hard so most of the drawing I do is on scraps of paper. As for screen-printing, well that’s still fairly new to me. A couple of years ago I bought one of those student starter kits and have been trying to figure out how to do it ever since. I’m getting there even though my methods are pretty lo-fi they work for me.
Is there an artist you admire that greatly influences your work?
I’m not sure that there is, I think because I studied fine art rather than say illustration. Most of the artists I look up to are from that background, like Marcel Duchamp and artists from the Fluxus movement. Even though the works are pretty daft at times, they can also be very beautiful. I am gradually discovering more artists that relate to my own work. A couple of recent favorites are Jim Flora and Paul Rand. I guess the one thing that stands out is that I’m interested in artists from another era or new artists whose work looks retro (and I’m loathed to use that word).
Your work has a lovable and whimsical theme about it; how did you arrive at your signature style?
I think it goes back to the ideas I had about art when I was at university. I have a real love-hate relationship with art and this generally leads me wanting it to be fun and not the pretentious nonsense that it often is. When it comes to my own work, I just try to keep that in mind. I’m still getting my head around having a “style” and even though now more than ever I seem to have developed one I do think that it’s still changing and hope it always will.
Do you have a favorite piece you’ve created?
No, I generally start to dislike my work minutes after I’ve finished it.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be?
I recently watched the film Beautiful Losers and though this may sound incredible to some, I hadn’t seen the work of Margaret Kilgallen before. It’s stunning, so yeah, a collaboration with her would have been pretty special.
Your posters have really great type treatments; is there a font that you’re particularly fond of? Alternatively, is there a font you don’t think you’d ever use in your works?
I prefer to use different fonts where I can (and sometimes do) go back to ones I’ve used before, but I don’t really have a favorite. I do prefer hand made fonts though, but even when I find a font I like I’d rather re-draw it and give it a hand rendered feel than just type out the words.
On your blog you’ve experimented with animating your work; do you think you’ll explore that more in depth in the future?
I do have an idea festering in the back of my mind on how I can make another animated piece, but I’m very impatient. As much as I’d like to do more animated work I just can’t see it happening any time soon.
I really like that your work isn’t just on paper; it’s also on bags and pins. Are there additional surfaces that you wish to explore?
I really like working on wood and recently tried to print on a section of an old log. It didn’t quite work out though because the surface wasn’t completely flat, but it’s definitely something that I’m going to work on getting right. I’ve also been toying with the idea of printing my own fabrics so that I can make things like soft toys or maybe even clothing.
One of your favorite movies is The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Have you ever had the opportunity to see him live?
Sadly no, and I’m not entirely sure I’d want to unless I could jump in a Delorean and go see him in the early days in Austen. It’s not that I don’t think I’d enjoy it, just that maybe it would be a bit sad – as in make-me-want-to-cry-sad.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Definitely an early bird. Some mornings my waking thoughts are of work and are so clear that I often get up and can have something finished within the hour.
Lastly, what’s next for Ben Javens?
The next project is a collaboration with my friend, Simon Peplow. The idea isn’t fully formed yet, but we’re hoping to make a children’s book that we will screen print, unless we can find someone to publish it. I’m not entirely sure how well it will work out, but I’m really looking forward to finding out.
For more information on Ben check out his blog.
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