Benjamin L. Turner
Benjamin L. Turner works in a variety of media: photography, sculpture, painting, and drawing. The works slip and slide between media, resisting any categorization: In one sculpture, the metal frame from a light-box becomes an armature, holding up photographs and blinking lights; his still-life photographs include his sculptures, and his paintings on paper include photographs. This type of layering is also present in his photography: each photograph is densely stratified with textures and forms, which Turner calls "a dance with chance." .
A large part of Turner's practice centers around creating "happening" style dinners under the name Squamuglia. His work is not far from this aesthetic. In each work he is "organizing a recipe of elements for something oddly beautiful to happen." His titles, also referring to food, are like descriptive menu choices. He calls them "poetic visual riddles. When seen together, Turner's works are echo-chamber of repeating forms and colors.
Benjamin L. Turner, Who's Curves, 2020. Plaster, wood, acrylic paint. 9 x 15 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches.
Benjamin L. Turner, Gulp, Swollen Bureaucracy, 2021. Plastic plaster, wood, photograph, grass, and acrylic paint. 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 4 inches.
Benjamin L. Turner, Stillness Revealed by Shivers, 2021. Plaster, plastic, acrylic. 14 x 4 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches.
Benjamin L. Turner, Chirp, Pit Philosophy, 2021. Acrylic airbrush, water-based pastel, acrylic paint, and pastel on paper in artist frame. 34 1/8 x 44 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches framed.
Benjamin L. Turner, Tray Laughter, 2020. Pencil, chalk pastels, acrylic paint, watercolor on paper in artist frame. 15 5/8 x 18 5/8 x 1 3/4 inches framed.
Benjamin L. Turner, Cafe Smudge, 2023. Backlit photographic film in artist's made lightbox, custom LED sequence. 41 x 27 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches.
Benjamin L. Turner, Temptation's Revenge, 2020. Plaster, wood, acrylic, artist-made frame, LED lights. 30 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 3 inches.
Benjamin L. Turner, Raised Bed Graphic Queen. 2024. Fabric photo print, custom LED sequence, steel. 76 x 49 x 14 inches.
Exhibitions
Born in Winchester, MA
Lives and works in Los Angeles, CA
EDUCATION
BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, 2005
SOLO EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS
2025 "Sauce Fool" (performance in collaboration with Nathan Ellefson), TBD, Los Angeles, CA
2024 "ELEVATED RISTRETTO STUTTER" (solo exhibition), Babst Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2024 "All Together Now" (solo exhibition), Studio A1, Los Angeles, CA
2021 "Earth no Patio x Crossed Wires" (podcast), NTS Radio
2019 "MIND JUGZ PRETZEL" (performance), Squamuglia, Los Angeles, CA
2018-2025 "Earth no Patio" (experimental audio piece distributed as a podcast)
2018 "TWIDDLERZ DE-Lite" (performance), Michael Benevento Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 "Dog Mom" (performance), Squamuglia, Los Angeles, CA
2017 "NIRVANA WIZZ" (performance), Squamuglia, Los Angeles, CA
2017 "Bar PWuaTZo" (performance), Squamuglia, Los Angeles, CA
2017 "bArFoso" (performance), Squamuglia, Los Angeles, CA
2017 "BArFo so" (performance, Squamuglia, Los Angeles, CA
2016 "Phaidon Worried" (solo exhibition),Central Park Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014-2016 "SQUAMUGLIA" ( performance), Los Angeles, CA
2014 "Freitagsküche" (performance), Squamuglia, Frankfurt, Germany
2008-2011 "Sometimes" (biweekly dining series), Baltimore, MD
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 "WILD SEED," curated by Carl Johns, SPEEDBOAT, Los Angeles, CA
2024 Hisssss, Los Angeles, CA
2016 “Squamuglia, ”Ooga Booga Bongo Music, 356 Mission, Los Angeles, CA
2014 "Stratosphere," John and Marion Frye Collection, Las Vegas, NV
2013 "Sunkist Sunset" (performance with Neal Reinalda), Sunset Blvd. Home Depot, Los Angeles, CA
2011 "Freshly Squeezed" (group exhibition), Penthouse Gallery, Baltimore, MD
BIBLIOGRPAHY
2024 Preson Zappas, Lindsay, "Benjamin L. Turner at Babst Gallery," KCRW
2020 Interview on the “Modern Bar Cart podcast,” Episode 148, hosted by Eric Kozlik
2017 Lippman, Alexandra. “Squamuglia,” PAID, MIT Press, 2017, p. 97-115
2016 Adler, Chris, “Benjamin Turner at Central Park” Contemporary Art Review, Los Angeles (CARLA)
2009 Wexler, Laura “Dining on The Down Low," Baltimore Style Magazine, p. 120-123