OUR THING #1
A Creative Community
There's the South Philly mob, and then there's Space 1026: both run deep. Ben Woodward, another Space 1026 founder, is vegetarian and a proud RISD drop-out. Characters that are equal parts creepy and friendly populate his paintings and drawings, and he's exhibited at the Carmichael Gallery in Los Angeles, Jonathan Levine in New York, and the Institute of Contemporary Art at Moore College, in addition to producing several artist's books.
space1026.com
First off, state your name.
Benjamin James Woodward, but every one calls me Ben.
How long have you lived in Philadelphia?
I was born in Penn hospital and I lived in University City till I was in middle school, then my family moved to the burbs. I lived in Providence, Rhode Island, for like five years, then came home to Philly.
As an artist, why did you choose to stay in Philadelphia?
I love Philly. It's really good at letting you be; you can be you, I can be me, and everyone hates each other equally, the way it should be.
Is there anything that you consider inherently "Philly" about your art?
It's always noon in my paintings.
What was your first show in Philly?
My first solo show in Philly was "For love and spite," at the now dismantled Spector gallery.
Who supported you along the way? Who supports young artists in Philadelphia now?
I had a good network of friends. That's the most important thing when you're starting out. You need other people to tell you you're doing good or are full of shit. I had worked with people that became successful artists and that helped me to see what to do and what not to do. As far as who is helping youngins today, I don't know. I try to. Anyone need help?
Is there a connection between your work and music?
I have been a DJ from 1994 till last night, so on any given week, there's a chance I have played music for money. I love it, but nowadays, when I am making stuff, I like to listen to Public Radio or books on tape. I like to have something to ignore. I think I do my best drawing and stuff when I am just on the edge of paying attention to two things at once. I used to draw all the time in school and now I have replaced lectures with Fresh Air. If I listen to music when I work I end up thinking about DJing and then I don't get as much done.
How does Philly influence your music?
Philadelphia is a wonderful place for music. It's so big that bands come through, but the people making music are so few that it is like a reduction sauce: everyone gets boiled down and eventually works together.
Space 1026 helped spawn a movement of Philly artists working in collectives. What's your take on that?
It's the same with the music, everyone starts to work together and the many make a whole that starts to have shared ideas. Not that people don't stand out, but I see something I like about someone's stuff and they take a little from me. It works well. You end up making less mistakes cause someone has already made them for you.
Do you have any advice for collectives that want to be like Space 1026 but are just getting started?
Never set anything in stone. As soon as you make rules you will have to break them and the sooner you get used to compromise the better you will be.
Best eats?
I love Standard Tap and N.3rd as far as restaurants go, and I just started to go to this Korean place on 13th call Pastoral that's really good. It's weird, Korean places are only as good as there cooks and they seem to change up a lot, so a place that was real good one week will get a new cook and then it won't be any good. There is a bakery around the corner from my house that has super homemade donuts on the corner of Girard Ave and Lawrence St.
Best illegal chess game?
Blackwater
Philly: better with Allen Iverson or without?
I miss having AI but the Sixers will always be heartbreakers. I can't watch ever since they won the first game against the Lakers and then lost then next four in 2000-2001 season.
Please kill off a Philly trend for us.
I can't take credit for this: I think it was Toney Smyrski, but "Babies are the new track bike."