Benjamin Kellogg: State University of New York at New Paltz. Selected Graduate 2018

Kellogg’s process is analytical and rule-based, yet the result are fresh and idiosyncratic. As a careful maker, Kellogg walks the line between work and wait, rational and random, always balancing expert craft and precision with unpredictable rules and results. These works present responses and conclusions to questions and self-designed problems, if only for the moment.
 
This collection presents the epitome of work that must be encountered to be truly appreciated and understood. Far from the static photograph, imagine the piece in hand. Through its nuanced details, mechanisms and movement, one gets drawn in to the engineering of carefully constructed systems and hidden components. The use of steel invites durable and mechanical applications, yet due to its accessibility, a sense of risk-taking is also evident in the scale and composition of these works. The wearer is keenly aware of each piece, large and dynamic on the body. As one moves through the work, they become a participant in the process, play, and evolution of these clever wearable systems.

/  Lynn Batchelder | Assistant Professor of Art, Metal Program.