from TWTGE the flower issue, July 2012
Ben Giles is a young artist from Suffolk, England. His works range from photography to sculpture, through music, who is very fond with his band Cassetto. We love him in particular for his collages, that as it may seem simple, it is a very complicated art. Ben has an eye for choose images and for piece they together in a personal way, creando a poetic retrĂČ world, full of colours.
Hi Ben, please introduce yourself.
Hello im Ben Giles, a 19 year old fine art student that lives in Suffolk, England.
What is your relationship with nature?
This is a really different and interesting question to start with, Iâm often overwhelmed with it, sometimes it can be just too much, the smells of autumn and spring can be overpowering at times, for both good and bad reasons, nature can press me down, I should probably be saying how beautiful it is, and it is, but it has a different effect on me, I can feel worthless and small and inconsiderate. Pollution and the vastness of exploitation angers me, yet I do nothing to stop It, Iâm as bad as anybody else, Iâm such an insignificant part of this world when I step outside, it can bring anybody back down to the ground.
20 years from now, how do you think the World will look?
In reality, the Western world probably wonât look much different than today, we will have become more reliant on technology, more desperate to fuel our cars, more desensitized to music, film and television, more teenagers will grow up thinking they will have disorders and illnesses, the rich will become richer and the poor poorer,unless something radical happens everything will be an exaggerated version of how things are now and people will be harder to please, everything will have to be about now. Things will become more connected, as for the rest of the world I canât think of how things will change, itâs such a large question, and I have neither the intelligence nor insight to submit a condense opinion.
When making music and improvising, often a lot of what comes out isnât great, but sometimes for as small as a few seconds this clarity can be reached and itâs this perfect moment that has happened from nowhere and could go anywhere, or fall about as quickly as it grew, thatâs a wild feeling, Sometimes art can be the same, but personally art can never fulfill me as much as music, itâs the biggest influence on what I do and what I feel. Another is the space between two people, that magnetism before two people kiss or embrace after a long time apart, this force is there which you canât see, itâs a living thing between two living things, itâs the time and space before it happens, I guess itâs the same as the thing with the music, I think I may be rambling.
Photography can be a lot of things; it can range from expression to advertising, from personal experiences to selling a story.
How did you get into photography?
Itâs not necessarily an artistic reason but I was having adventures and exploring a lot with friends and I wanted a way to document it, to reflect on it and laugh back at it, it then sometimes became the point of leaving the house to take pictures rather than the other way round, it grew until I grew out of it again.
Art is something Iâve been doing since I was little, it didnât become what it is to me today until a few years ago, this was accompanied with music, these two things become the only things I could emote to and express myself with, I kept creating and now itâs a snowball, it keeps turning and turning, one day it will reach the bottom and collapse but I donât see that happening for a long time.
When you start to make collage?
I started collage shortly after the video work I was making, it started out as the backdrop to the videos, like a set in a film, to enhance the world I wanted to create, but then it developed into its own form of expression, I started with juxtaposition and it evolved into lots of different styles, it was around 7 months ago that It took off, It was compulsive, I just kept making them and I feel that itâs coming to an end, it was never something I planned or particular wanted to do, it just happened.
How you choose the photo to work?
A lot of the time it will just hit me, Iâll see a particular images and know instantly what I want to do with it, I like older images, from the 50âs â 60âs, I like that nostalgic look, I think it creates better storytelling, I love the compositions and the almost illustrative look they have. Sometimes though ill spend hours searching or finding other images to use with another, it can be frustrating but when it pays off itâs a good feeling.
How are your collages born?
The collages are born the instant I see an image I want to use, I never sit down and plan it, or make rough versions, I make so many, if one turn out shit it goes in the bin or on the floor and I set about making another.
Where do you get inspiration?
I get inspiration from a lot of things, the internet, books, film, television, other artists work, itâs hard to pin point one particular thing, the band storm and stress influence the way I work and how I want to tell a story and how its viewed, film and television often highlight themes or ideas I want to work on and the moods I want to surround them and books the philosophies and contexts.
Usually I make this question about photography but in the modern time all is digital, and you are full analogic, so what you think about digital technology ? It destroying the analogic world or creating nostalgia and bring him back?
I donât think modern technology is destroying analogue ways of working, itâs certainly allowing analogue images to be shown to a larger audience, and I think people can tell the difference between the two types. Good can be done with both techniques, but itâs all down to opinion, Iâm pretty oblivious, I have my way of working and Iâll continue to so, unless one day I decide to do something differently, but I do certainly prefer analogue and film.
What kind of camera do you use when you shoot?
Mostly disposables and cheap novelty cameras as I canât afford to buy a âproperâ one, i have an Olympus 35 sp which is mostly point and shoot, and Iâm happy with that.
If this is in regards to the flower collages, Itâs about the celebration of life, and the speed and fragility of our existence, we exist and its bright, colorful, then it withers and dies and crumbles into the earth, like us, its personal though, for me it was when I was entering a new time, reaching the surface of water and taking a breath of air, appreciating whatâs around me and embracing it.
Ben you are a full artist, make wonderful collage, you paint, draw, make music, take photos too⊠which are the art represents you the most?
The most personal work I have made is probably the video work, and there is a lot of hidden emotion in there, sealed away, a lot of feelings and memories I canât express directly through talking about it or painting it. I think Iâm mostly known for collage work, but I do more than that and Iâm now moving into sculpture, once Iâve explored that, Iâll move into something else. I Donât think one aspect of art reflects me the most though, itâs all connected and reflects each other.
Which are your instruments for work?
Scissors, Glue, found objects and found photographs.
Who are your favourite photographers?
I have always enjoyed Lukasz Wierzbowski.
M.c Escher was a favorite growing up, I think at the moment Nick Van Woerts bust works are whatâs impacting me the most, to be honest, I donât know that many artists and Itâs hard to choose a favorite, I just take in a lot of influences and inspirations without really realizing what they are. Iâm better at talking about music, if it was a musician I would say Ian Williams or Zach Hill, just what they have contributed to each instrument and each genre of music they have helped define.
You have also an amazing group Cassetto, where you play with Toby Mayes, Oliver Pearson, Tom Hobbs & Isaac Nunn, talk about you.Â
Cassetto is a group of five friends taking a wide range of influences and projecting them how they naturally come to us, while retaining a sense of identity in the group, no one is the leader, no one is an extra and we all approach it equally and share honest opinions on how to make it better.
Matthew Tammaro in our last interview wants to know what is your favourite food?
I think at the moment it has to be garlic bread or croissants, I just get cravings for both.
You have some future projects?
Just finishing off a couple of sculptures made out of toy soldiers, and then I will begin on another using toys and medications.
Where people can find you and your works?
I have a Flickr, cargo, Tumblr, Facebook & society 6.
We suggest vividly to jump on your society6, where people can buy your works. Do you want to say something that I donât ask you?
Thereâs nothing I want to say that you didnât ask me.
What would you like to ask our next Interviewee?
Where do you see yourself when you die, where do you think youâll be, who do you think youâll be with and will you be happy with what you have experienced/lived/achieved?
www.cargocollective.com/bengiles
