Male

1971-10-11

In my art, I have always sought the synthesis between"high" and "low" art forms. I strive to create a sort of new expression, enformed by the visual language of comics/street art and the raw emotional power of expressionism. My style is influenced by a diverse range of artists, from Jack Kirby, Pollock and Picasso to contemporary painters like Galen Cheney and Mike Stern.

Beyond my natural compulsion to make images and artistic influences, my work is simply rebellious. My paintings strike against, I believe, a culture that tells us none of us are that special.

Frankly, I want to use my art to bludgeon our cultural paradigm. It is my desire to break apart and examine our unconscious, assumed notions of interpersonal politics and gender roles... by kicking the viewer’s eyeballs in the groin. My goal is to produce work that is visually arresting, so the viewer can connect with the act of rebellion that the work embodies.

J. Ben Moss lives and works in Shreveport, Louisiana. He has exhibited in group exhibitions throughout the Ark-La-Tex region, including Gallery 26 in Little Rock, Artspace and minicine? in Shreveport, LA and numerous live painting exhibitions in Dallas with the ArtLoveMagic nonprofit arts organization.He received his BA from Northwestern State University and is currently in his thesis rotation for his MLA at Louisiana State University Shreveport.

His most recent illustration work is visually adapting excerpts from classic literature for "The Graphic Canon" volumes 2 and 3 from Seven Stories Press, as well as illustrating his self-published book of children's literature, "peculiar poems for pint size provocateurs."

More examples of Mr. Moss's paintings, illustration, and design work can be found at:
jbenmoss.tumblr.com

Mr. Moss's street art process was recently the subject of the award-winning documentary, "Spray."
https://youtu.be/Lq4KQw8abI4

Exhibitions
2003
Gallery 26, Little Rock, AR
Pulaski County Picassos, group show & auction, Little Rock, AR

2007
Dallas Urban Arts Festival, live painting, Dallas, TX
Artlovemagic Comic Love II, live painting, Titan Comics, Dallas, TX
Artlovemagic/Poor Vida Hip Hop Show, live painting, The Green Elephant, Dallas, TX

2008
Artlovemagic Art & Coffee, live painting , Saxby’s Coffee, Dallas, TX
Artlovemagic Vision, group show, Mokah Art Gallery, Dallas, TX
Dia de los Muertos, group show, The Zebra Room, Shreveport, LA

2009
Artlovemagic Toys4Tots Show, live painting, Dallas, TX

2010
Extravagonzo!, group show, minicine?, Shreveport, LA

2011
Dia de los Muertos, group show, minicine?, Shreveport, LA

2012
X-Mas Under Da Ground, group show, minicine?, Shreveport, LA

2013
Critical Mass, group show, artspace, Shreveport, LA
Louisiana Music Prize showcase, group show, Voodoo Lounge, Shreveport, LA

2014
Generationless: Skateboarders are Artists, Too!, group show, artspace, Shreveport, LA
Critical Mass 2, group show, artspace, Shreveport, LA
UNSCENE! Undisputed Art Battle (member of the winning team The Trainees),
live art event, Millennium Studios, Shreveport, LA

2015
Common Culture Week Artist Studio Tour, art tour, Downtown Development Authority, Shreveport, LA

2016
Critical Mass 4, group show, artspace, Shreveport, LA
LIVEPaint Art Battle, live art event, Shreveport, LA
CREAMY DREAMY: Art & Music at minicine?, group show, Shreveport, LA

Publications
2012
The Graphic Canon, Volume 2, edited by Russ Kick (Seven Stories Press)
2013
The Graphic Canon, Volume 3, edited by Russ Kick (Seven Stories Press)
(*#4 on the New York Times Best Seller List for Graphic Novels)
2014
peculiar poems for pint size provocateurs, written by Oona Zbitkovskis, illustrations by J. Ben Moss (7 Miles Past Weird)

Education
1997
BA, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA
2016 (expected)
MLA, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Shreveport, LA

[email protected]

LA

Shreveport

United States

http://jbenmoss.tumblr.com

Northwestern State University

1997