FAGGOT & OTHER LGBTQ2+ STORIES: An Art Exhibit by London Regionalist Bricoleur Ben Benedict 2021

Ben Benedict is pleased to present “Faggot & Other LGBTQ2+ Stories” from July 21-31, 2021 at the SATELLiTE Project Space, 121 Dundas Street, London, ON, N6A 1G1 - Wed-Fri 2pm-7pm & Sat 12pm-5pm.
In addressing ‘faggot’ as a theme, this exhibition addresses the unequal power imbalance between those heaving and those receiving its signifying message, as well as the intent behind the word when used for hateful purposes - as something to be burned and destroyed. This includes preliminary research on the historic use of the word ‘faggot’ through to its contemporary inclusion as hate speech.
“This is my ‘resistance’, ‘reclamation’ and ‘empowerment’ project” says Benedict, adding that in “utilizing found objects and narratives including my own experiences to address LGBTQ2+ lives in a positive and proud light I am taking a critical look at reclaiming language and LGBTQ2+ humanity.”
As a bricoleur (mixed media artist who constructs from a wide range of objects), in 2017 he began to accumulate a number of “logs” and “branches” from pruning trees in his yard with the idea of doing ‘something’ with them. According to Benedict, this coincided with a number of contributing factors. First, in addressing his own personal history as a gay man and member of the LGBT Purge Lawsuit as a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran. Then as a gay man living in Downtown London there’s the echo of “faggot” frequently from young bar patrons, mostly men trying to position their masculinity - as in communities across Canada. Thirdly, his history of academic and activist artworks. Combined these collective experiences became reflections and a starting point to explore his life and art as an artist and gay activist. These “found objects” (materials, language, social norms) and utilizing a London Regionalist approach (materials and themes from a local perspective), became the foundation of this exhibition focused on reclaiming the word ‘faggot’ from a social justice perspective.
“Those sticks became my first rendering of re-imagined objects in creating these empowering narratives,” says Benedict. “My goal is to illustrate this hateful word’s meaning - an object to be burned and destroyed - and how it impacts those on the receiving end, as well as re-imagining this word as a beacon for awareness, self-actualization, and to gain the self-confidence to be oneself.”
This project is supported financially by the London Arts Council through the City of London's Community Arts Investment Program; Exhibition Assistance from the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario; Explore and Create support from the Canada Council for the Arts; and Benedict Creative Communications (bcreative.ca).
Thank you Saby Siren Production for their video production work (sabysiren.com). Watch for the exhibit Artist Talk and Video Tour on July 29, 2021 - Thank you!
About Visual Artist Ben Benedict
Master Communicator & Visual Artist Ben Benedict has over 27 years professional experience in exhibiting, curating, and marketing of his art along with the designing of invitations for his projects. As a cultural leader rooted in London’s Regionalism, Ben Benedict is an active and engaged visual artist with a growing portfolio and reputation including earning a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the University of Western Ontario, London, ON in 1993 and a Master of Arts in Communications from Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS in 2017.
About SATELLiTE Project Space
SATELLiTE Project Space is a dynamic partnership between three significant London, Ontario, arts institutions: Fanshawe College, Museum London and Western University. The mandate of SATELLiTE is to provide a flexible space for new and temporary projects, collaborations, and experiments in the arts and culture. SATELLiTE is a testing ground for new projects and partnerships, programs, residencies, artworks and performances - by students, community members, curators, and professional artists (satelliteprojectspace.com).
About Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts is Canada’s public arts funder, with a mandate to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. The Council champions and invests in artistic excellence through a broad range of grants, services, prizes and payments to professional Canadian artists and arts organizations. Its work ensures that excellent, vibrant and diverse art and literature engages Canadians, enriches their communities and reaches markets around the world. The Council also raises public awareness and appreciation of the arts through its communications, research and arts promotion activities. It is responsible for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, which promotes the values and programs of UNESCO in Canada to contribute to a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable future. The Canada Council Art Bank operates art rental programs and helps further public engagement with contemporary arts.