Artist Statement
Ben Alderman aka 林文彬 (Lin Wen-Ben) is an interdisciplinary artist exploring ready-made materials, cultural imagery, and philosophical concepts. He is a process-based artist who re-contextualizes cultural signifiers to examine identity, culture, and society. By juxtaposing materials and symbols with performative actions, he transforms familiar forms into poetic gestures and painterly expressions. This approach invites viewers to look beyond the surface, offering new layers of perception and understanding. His work provides another perspective on our shared reality.
In recent inquiries, Wen-Ben has been exploring expanded animation through sculptural and installation elements. He integrates existing culture with ready-made imagery, objects, and symbols. By unraveling and critiquing embedded narratives, his animations merge sculptural forms and poetic gestures, pushing beyond traditional storytelling frameworks. This direction reflects his broader practice, where animation and interdisciplinary methods serve as tools for examining the evolving relationships within contemporary culture.
Bio
Ben Alderman aka 林文彬 (Lin Wen-Ben) is an American moving image artist born in 臺中市 (Taichung City). He holds an M.A. in Experimental Animation from the Royal College of Art and a B.F.A. in Fine Art from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design.
Wen-Ben has been recognized by the United Kingdom with a Global Talent Visa in the art and culture sector. His work has been showcased at BAFTA-qualifying festivals such as the London Short Film Festival and Bolton Film Festival, featured in New American Painting #132 and Leon Gallery, and commissioned for animated public art projects by Denver Digerati and Night Lights Denver.
Selected exhibitions & screenings include Factual Animation Film Festival at The Garden Cinema, London, UK, Seattle Asian American Film Festival at Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, WA, To Whom It May Concern at Safehouse 1, London, UK, and Unwavering: First Annual Alumni Exhibition at Rotunda Gallery, Lakewood, CO.