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DANIEL BENAYUN

News 2012January: Happy New Year! Updates to the website are coming soon. Check back often.October: Check out the all new Animation secton added to the website! I will be adding new films periodically.July: The wonderful folks over at Blu Magazine posted an article including an interview about my artwork on their website. Click here to check it out!June: Artwork on display, and available for purchase, at Portobello Road, 47 Boylston St. Newton, MA 02467August: Daniel Benayun self produced book of past works. limited edition, full color case wrap book, with 30 pictures now availble for purchase. Only $22 !!! Go to contact page to inquire.
Introduction for Daniel Benayun By Artist & Professor Dr Hans GuggenheimYou may have noticed that over long periods of time certain kinds of literary works attract certain kinds of artists who so fall in love with the narrative and the characters that they create, works of enduring art to illustrate them and that out of their passion they create images that become iconic in history. By iconic I mean that the literary text and the images become fused in such a way that is difficult, close to impossible to think of them as separate entities. Take Alice in Wonderland. The mind rebels at the thought that Alice could look different from the one created by Sir John Tenniel for Lewis Carrol's immortal character. Other associations are less strong. For example Dante's Inferno has famously been illustrated by both Gustav Dore and Salvador Dali, yet there was room for Michal Mazur, an important Boston artist to reinterpret the entire inferno from his own, different, American perspective.Daniel Benayun is a young Bostonian artist who has the courage and the talent to challenge even iconic images such as Dr. Heinrich Hoffman's Der Struwwelpeter,(1845) and to substitute for them his own willful portrayals. Some of these pictures for example a boy with his wooden horse are as compelling as our dreams of our childhood, arbitrary, bizarre, humorous, and far enough removed frm our expectations to be unique and memorable.Daniels work is creative and experimental but already recognizably his own. In writing an art review one sometimes addresses a specific audience, namely that of collectors, young artists such as Daniel Benayun offer an attractive opportunity for collectors, because as the artists mature and achieve fame, their early works gain value. I believe that this will be the case with Daniel's paintings and illustrations.- Dr Hans Guggenheim.

GALLERY

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A few years ago studying Anthropology became important to me. The Robert Flaherty documentary, Nanook of the North (1922 ) became a major influence in my work. The film presents a family of Eskimos struggling to survive in the arctic. One scene in the film depicts Nanook eating a sea biscuit and lard, a staple in the Eskimo diet essential for maintaining desirable body temperatures. The purpose of consuming a sea biscuit and lard is to provide a visual expression of consuming food

that may not be delicious by our standards, but provides the essential elements for survival in a harsh environment. When I am in the process of illustrating, or creating art, I imagine myself to be in

an emotional state of wanting to survive as Nanook when he consumes his sea biscuit. Creating Art helps me survive in a complex, difficult social and economic environment that is ever changing.

VIDEO

Adventures of Gilgamesh Animated (1080 HD)

ABOUT

About

A few years ago studying Anthropology became important to me. The Robert Flaherty documentary, Nanook of the North (1922 ) became a major influence in

my work. The film presents a family of Eskimos struggling to survive in the arctic. One scene in the film depicts Nanook eating a sea biscuit and lard, a staple in the Eskimo diet essential for maintaining desirable body temperatures. The purpose of consuming

a sea biscuit and lard is to provide a visual expression of consuming food that may

not be delicious by our standards, but provides the essential elements for survival in a harsh environment. When I am in the process of illustrating, or creating art, I imagine myself to be in an emotional state of wanting to survive as Nanook when he consumes

his sea biscuit. Creating Art helps me survive in a complex, difficult, social, and economic environment that is ever changing.

Press

"Daniel Benayun's collages are like peculiar and whimsical, outsider-art, inside jokes. Layered atop obscure maps or vague and crinkled book pages, these postcards introduce a cast of mythical, and otherwise, characters along with an impressive postage stamp collection, through illustration and craft. The pieces are steeped with an endearing dose of what seems to be the recollection of a boyhood fascination with knights, sea life and European and early American history. Benayun's work is currently on view in the group show, Artageddon, at The Distillery Gallery in Boston. The exhibition consciously features the work of over twenty artists from Boston and elsewhere, all of whom are currently without gallery representation. Along with Benayun, the show will exhibit the work of Vanessa Irzyk, Kristen Mills, Josh Falk and Fish McGill, among many others. Daniel Benayun is currently a student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. His work has been exhibited recently in a solo presentation at Sowa Gallery in Boston and at several other venues in Boston, MA and New Hampshire. As an illustrator, he has recently been commissioned by the New Hampshire Institute of Art and musician Shai Erlichman." -Allison Gibson, Writer for Daily Servings International Contemporary Art websiteYou may have noticed that over long periods of time certain kinds of literary works attract certain kinds of artists who so fall in love with the narrative and the characters that they create, works of enduring art to illustrate them and that out of their passion they create images that become iconic in history. By iconic I mean that the literary text and the images become fused in such a way that is difficult, close to impossible to think of them as separate entities. Take Alice in Wonderland. The mind rebels at the thought that Alice could look different from the one created by Sir John Tenniel for Lewis Carrol's immortal character. Other associations are less strong. For example Dante's Inferno has famously been illustrated by both Gustav Dore and Salvador Dali, yet there was room for Michal Mazur, an important Boston artist to reinterpret the entire inferno from his own, different, American perspective.Daniel Benayun is a young Bostonian artist who has the courage and the talent to challenge even iconic images such as Dr. Heinrich Hoffman's Der Struwwelpeter,(1845) and to substitute for them his own willful portrayals. Some of these pictures for example a boy with his wooden horse are as compelling as our dreams of our childhood, arbitrary, bizarre, humorous, and far enough removed frm our expectations to be unique and memorable.Daniels work is creative and experimental but already recognizably his own. In writing an art review one sometimes addresses a specific audience, namely that of collators, young artists such as Daniel Benayun offer an attractive opportunity for collectors, because as the artists mature and achieve fame, their early works gain value. I believe that this will be the case with Daniel's paintings and illustrations.- Dr Hans Guggenheim, Artist and Professor. "Honestly, merely browsing around Harrison Ave, you and one other painter really stood out. You seem to be jamming out the work according to your site, and we are just really excited to have someone who maintains a vast level of enthusiasm through his work." -Robert daVies/ Scott Chasse, Curator and Directors of The Distillery Gallery in Boston "For many 20-year-olds, letters and stamps are communication dinosaurs, but Daniel Benayun celebrates them in his solo exhibit, Postage. Through collages and paintings, the young artist hopes to restore an appreciation for letter writing and make folks aware of the historical importance of postage stamps. Benayuns collages incorporate old letters and ephemeral artifacts that serve as a map of social history. So, why not leave your hand-held communicator at home and step back in time." -June Wulff, Writer for the Boston Globe Newspaper Arts, Entertainment section

RESUME

Artistic Goal

Exhibitions

To be the translator of a clients ideas and imaginations into compelling artistic constructs, whether it be website design, book illustration, advertisting campaign, album covers, or artworkfor a home or office.
Portobello Road, Past works, Chesnut Hill, Boston (Solo) May through September 2011SOWA Gallery, Postage Series, South End, Boston (Solo) August through September 2009Fourth Wall Project Gallery, Illustration Thesis Exhibition, Fenway, Boston (Group) February 2011Fourth Wall Project Gallery, Seventh Deadly Sin Exhibition, Fenway,Boston (Group) February 2011The Blue Room, Past Works Kendall Square, Boston (Solo) September through November 2010The Distillery Gallery, Artageddon, South End, Boston (Group) Septem-ber through October 2009The White Haus,The Sea Biscuit And Lard Series, Jamaica Plain, Boston (Solo) 2010Canto 6, Past Works, Jamaica Plain, Boston (Solo) 2010 Amherst Building Gallery, Manchester, New Hampshire, (Group) 2007Vault Gallery, Intaglio Show, Manchester, New Hampshire, (Group) 2008 The Gala Cafe, Manchester, New Hampshire (Solo) October 2007Step It up Studio, Art to Raise Enviromental Awareness, Manchester, New Hampshire, (Group) 2007J Dubs Coffee House, Manchester, New Hampshire, (Solo) 2007Soloman And Sheba , arts and crafts boutique, Newton, Massachusetts2006-2007

Education

Design assistant for Dr. Hans Guggenheim. 2011Massachusetts College of Art - Graduation. 2011New Hampshire Institute of Art.Internship with artist Fernando de Oliviera. 2009

Recognition

Technical Proficiency

Featured artist on the front page of the Boston Globe Arts, Entertainment section. August 2009Chosen as Artist of the Week as a feature in Blu Magazine. February 2011A painting was chosen for the front cover, of the New Hampshire Institute of Art admissions catalogue. September 2008Selected as one of the winning artists of a juried competition Eighth Deadly Sin hosted by Massachusetts College of Art. February 2011Illustration for the article Top Doctors of Boston was featured by Boston Magazine website. December 2010Article about my artwork was featured on Dailyserving.com an internationally available publication for contemporary artists. September 16th, 2009Exhibition was featured by the Boston Herald. September 2009Selected by three judges to be a part of an exhibition featuring 20 new and unique emerging artists from Boston. November 2009 Artwork picked and featured for Yayeveryday.com an art forum.October 2009Featured artist in a publication for Over Kill Studio. August 28 2009Artwork was selected by students and faculy for the front and back cover of the art department catalogue for Newton South High School April 2006

Adobe Photoshop.

Adobe Indesign.

Adobe Illustrator.

Traditional Animation

Final Cut Pro.

Intaglio.

Silkscreen.

Handmade Lithography.

Commercial Package, and Production design.

Website Design, and publishing.

Book layout, and design.

CONTACT

ncon

Contact

Available for commissions Phone # 857 636 8055Daniel Benayun224 South St, apt # 6Jamaica Plain, MA02130

Lapland

The Last Yoik book cover
Title page of The Last Yoik
Introductory page
Mother and child outside tent.
Children of Lapland
Young boy on top of deer.
Clothing of the Sami
Traverse the snowy landscape
Family of Laplanders
Outside the Finnish parliament

The Last Yoik book cover
Title page of The Last Yoik
Introductory page
Mother and child outside tent.
Children of Lapland
Young boy on top of deer.
Clothing of the Sami
Traverse the snowy landscape
Family of Laplanders
Outside the Finnish parliament

GALLERY PAGES

Click image to view gallery

Thinking like Shakespeare

The Last Yoik Book

Recent work

1. Daniel_Benayun--Sam loves the new town-.jpg

Illustration

Postage Series

New

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Postage text

Postage, By Daniel Benayun

The exhibition Postage took place August 9th, 2009 in the South End of Boston in the Sowa Art District. For the show I created a series of work about the postal service, focusing primarily on the history of the 19th century. The history of communication dates back to pre-history. In prehistoric times man used fires, beacons, and smoke signals, to communicate over long distances. Within the 6th century the first indoctrination of a viable postal system was instituted, and it is was this precursor that changed the way people communicate forever. Even with all the advancements in technological forms of communication, sending letters through the mail is still widely exercised in just about every part of the world. It is evident that the letter is still luxurious in contrast to receiving an unadorned email. I was taught at an early age that the letter is the formal and appropriate way to thank and greet others. I believe this is mostly true today. Throughout my life I have always had access to more convenient forms of communication yet I have always had a personal affinity for letter sending. On birthdays my ema (mom) would place letters for me to find in the mailbox, this was humorous because we were of course living together. There is something inherently exciting about receiving mail, whether it is from across the world, or within your own home. The main goal with the series was to represent postal history through art. A letter perhaps has enhanced the facts and knowledge gleaned in the history books we read. For example the correspondences of those involved in the civil war with there loved ones, help illustrate the ephemeral, and individual point of view of the major events occurring at the time. Beyond the letters themselves, denominations issued on each stamp, helps to date the age of its origin, and every postage stamp is a reflection of the historically important events within the current society. The paintings in the series were created primarily to represent how prevalent postage stamps are in following the tradition of art history. Postage stamps have a long tradition of being used to honor or commemorate much as portraiture was used. Beyond the subjectivity of stamps, the tradition of the compositional structure is one which I felt deserved to be reinterpreted and created through fine art, particularly through painting. Prior to the widespread conversion to the standardized stamp, the process of creating postage included many traditional fine art techniques such as lithography, line engraving, photogravure, and intaglio. Although the visual aesthetic of postage has shifted slightly from its past, the beauty of the postage stamp is still admired by many throughout the world and the hobby of stamp collecting continues to grow every year. The collages I have created are primarily composed from old letters, artifacts i.e. things one would typically receive in the mail. I integrate my illustrative painting style into these pieces by composing all of my images on the same quality paper (letterheads, documents, etc.) Postage has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. Prior to the creation of the series, my understanding of the postal system was one of speculation, all the more reason to pursue this it as an art project. The journey throughout the series fulfilled a desire I have had since my childhood to understand and learn about the history of the postal service.
Press release InformationFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Daniel BenayunJuly 15, 2009danielbenayun_yahoo.comPostage: Daniel Benayun Solo ExhibitionThe Alternative Art Space and Fernando De Oliveira are pleased to present a solo exhibition of Daniel Benayun. The exhibition focuses on Benayuns most recent series, Postage, inspired by a desire to celebrate the ephemeral art of letters and stamps. The body of work includes a series of mixed media collages on clayboard accompanied by larger paintings. Using a diverse range of mediumscollage, sewing, drawing, painting, writingBenayun looks to restore our appreciation in the art of letter sending: the politics of the stamp, the movement across space and time, and the motives of the sender.Our modernized means of communication (myspace, facebook, twitter, email) have diminished the art of letters. Todays mail mostly consists of predictable, dull, even dreaded notifications. Postage takes up the history of letters and stamps, from the present through the epoch letter of the past. The majority of series is a group of 8 x 10 mixed media collages which intricately embody the romantic spirit of letters. Letters and stamps have always been precisely in the moment, and thus act as a map of social history. Benayuns content and imagery are period based, referring to literature and select current events of the past, information that would have typically been exchanged by letters. The intended recipient of each parcel is therefore not a national audience, but a local community or personal correspondence, reflecting the care and precision of a letter in each resolved collage. Benayun makes the statement that each letter writer is a potential artist.Friday August 7-20, 2009 Opening Reception Friday August 7, 5-9 pm450 Harrison Avenue, Studio 309C (Third Floor) Boston, MAFirst Friday is open to the public. Admittance is free. Refreshments provided.For additional information, contact Daniel Benayun at danielbenayun_yahoo.com, and visit danielbenayun.com.NOTE: This Fact Sheet serves also as a request for press coverage. Media is cordially invited to attend, no RSVP required.SVP required.

illustration

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Doctor Illustration- Final.jpg
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Thinking like shakespeare

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Thinking like Shakespeare is an adaptation of the narrative poem "A Lovers Complaint", originally written by William Shakespeare in 1609. The concept for the book was conceived by me, and was completed in August 2007.In the poem, the speaker sees a young woman weeping at the edge of a river, into which she throws torn-up letters, rings, and other tokens of love. An old man asks the reason for her sorrow, and she responds by telling him of a former lover who pursued, seduced, and finally abandoned her. She concludes her story by conceding that she would fall for the young man's false charms again.The foremost goal of this project was to convert the sensibilities of the adult narrative in such a way for even young children to enjoy. At every stage throughout our life we perceive literature according to our current state of mind. I feel that bringing Shakespeare to an even younger audience could further enhance the relationship the child feels for the author in later stages of life.In my 28 page adaptation, the book in its entirety is included, however,I design the text in a layout which directs the reader toward certain passages in the book. These passages are paraphrased and ultimately exclude 1/2 of the original content. I illustrate the book with simple line drawings and collages. The artwork is filled with metaphors, even allegorical at times. In the first collage I depict a boy with a crown of hearts, standing by a fire with a heart in his hand. This illustrates the passage on the proceeding page. Paraphrased the narrator contrasts love with pain. When we seek love and certain joys we never look for pain, but within all love pain exists. The illustration suggests this concept in a number of ways. The boy is surrounded in cold desolation, the fire in front of him is his life line which will burn out in time. The heart that the boy holds, is his sacrifice to keep the fire going. Of course he has a choice to use the heart as fuel for the fire, or to keep it within him and die from the cold.

Daniel Benayun - 2011 All artistic rights carefully reserved and preserved.