Ben Jones: In the Spirit, In the Flesh

Gallery-going audiences in London rarely have the opportunity to see for themselves anything from the remarkable body of work produced by African-American artists of the present time, or previous eras. Such exhibitions are few, but when they occur, they remind us that there is much we can learn from these artists, and much visual pleasure to be taken in these opportunities. This is in fact Ben Jones’ second exhibition in London; the first having taken place at the 198 Gallery the greater part of two decades ago. Ben Jones’ return to London is indeed to be celebrated, enjoyed, and widely acknowledged. Active as an artist for many decades, Ben Jones has established himself as perhaps one of the most respected senior figures of contemporary African-American art, whose practice emerged in the artistically, culturally and politically turbulent period of the late 1960s, and continued, with notable rigour and constantly maturing creativity, through the decades right up to the present time. A native and lifelong resident of New Jersey, Ben Jones has spent significant periods of his life travelling to different continents and countries of the world. This travel, this meaningful interaction with different peoples of the world, has gifted him a remarkable breadth and depth of vision, in his visual arts practice.

It is through his use of symbols such as the Ankh and the two-headed axe that is the symbol of the mighty Yoruba deity Shango, that Ben Jones most graphically evokes his connection to Africa and the spirits of his ancestors. In one of his recent pieces, both of thee symbols are amongst those used to decorate a patterned work that repeats other images and symbols, most noticeably, the visage of Malcolm X. Slain though he is, Ben Jones resurrects and evokes Malcolm X in a work that is joyful, celebratory, affirming and instructive. The Ankh, for millennia regarded as the key of life, was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol equating to the notion of eternal life. Other symbols proliferate within the work. Pairs of eyes resonate with references to the wheel of Ashoka and most challenging perhaps, love hearts are included in the blended mix of images. This is deeply moving work that not only presents us with a wonderful panorama of the beauty of diaspora, but also bravely seeks to draw the still-powerful image of Malcolm X closer to explicit feelings of love and affection…

…Ben Jones has, within his practice, a declared respect and love for African cultures, in a wide variety of manifestations. Not just those aspects that can be traced back to continental Africa, but those with much more recent manifestations, within the diaspora. Notable in this regard is his work from the mid 1990s which uses shapes that are clearly evocative of purpose-made hand-held fans traditionally used by members of the congregations of African-American churches during hot spells. The saintly portrait of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King sometimes adorned these fans/ But in Shango/Chango Fans, Ben Jones uses images of regular Black males as the central icon of his fans, to be embellished, decorated and beatified with a wonderful; range of brightly coloured mark making. Then, as now, the artist invites us, compels us even, to see these often-maligned men as fitting embodiments and recipients of our love and affection…

The above extracts, are from “Ben Jones: In the Spirit, In the Flesh”, catalogue text by Eddie Chambers for Ben Jones' solo exhibition at Rich Mix Centre for the Arts, London, 13 January – 24 February 2011: 13 - 25.