Benjamin Monti: Drawing, Text, and the Absurd
Born in 1983 in Liège, Belgian artist Benjamin Monti delves into the realms of text, graphic arts, and visual arts. Over the past ten years, he has intertwined drawing and writing to craft "suspended moments" from stories. His initial pieces showcased erratic writing in a train ledger. Monti's artwork scrutinizes representation, employing popular imagery and transparency to form ethereal figures derived from encyclopedias and crime reconstructions. He prefers black ink for its richness, notably in his graphic novel "Vide" (2008). His recent works, such as "Perspecta" and "Diptyque," contrast sacred and secular themes. Reflecting on his dyslexic upbringing, his pieces critique nationalism, with "Zonder titel" (2010) and "Untitled" (2010) earning the Prix Jeunes Artistes.
Key facts
- Benjamin Monti is a Belgian artist born in Liège in 1983.
- He works at the intersection of text, graphic arts, and visual arts.
- His early work involved filling a railway ledger with convulsive writing.
- He redraws selected elements by transparency as a contemporary copyist.
- His graphic novel 'Vide' was published in 2008 by La Cinquième Couche.
- The series 'Succession Ab intestat' uses a 1901 law student's notebook.
- He uses invisible ink to explore visible/invisible and absence/presence.
- Monti won the Prix Jeunes Artistes from the Parliament of the French Community for 'Zonder titel' (2010) and 'Untitled' (2010).
Entities
Artists
- Benjamin Monti
- Alexia Creusen
Institutions
- Mycose
- La Cinquième Couche
- Terrenoire
- Parlement de la communauté française
- Université de Liège
- École des arts Saint-Luc
- Galerie Nadja Vilenne
- Centre Wallonie/Bruxelles
- Festival de la bande dessinée d'Angoulême
- Art Brussels
- Fiac
Locations
- Liège
- Belgium
- Angoulême
- France
- Paris
- Brussels
- Turnhout
- Lyon
Sources
- artpress —