Triangle Series
Karl Benjamin
Mosaic based on the donated rights to works from 1971
Reproduction by Alba Cisneros
Sponsored by the Mt. SAC Public Art Initiative, 2014
Karl Benjamin Website
KARL BENJAMIN 1925 - 2012
Born in Chicago, Karl Benjamin began his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1943. Interrupted by service in the US Navy during WWII, Benjamin resumed his studies at Southern California’s University of Redlands in 1946. Graduating in 1949 with a BA degree in English literature, history and philosophy, Benjamin began his career as a teacher with no intention of becoming an artist. However, his relocation to Claremont California in 1952, shortly after he had begun “playing” with paint in 1951, galvanized his sense of his career path.
Though he continued to teach in public schools and, later to great acclaim, for Pomona College, the artist’s work blossomed amid the extraordinarily lively art, design and architecture scene in Los Angeles in the mid twentieth Century. Numerous gallery showings of his work during the 50’s culminated in 1959 with his inclusion in Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s ground-breaking exhibition “Four Abstract Classicists: Karl Benjamin, Lorser Feitelson, Frederick Hammersley and John McLaughlin.”
The exhibition garnered national attention for the artist along with the creation of a moniker for Benjamin’s meticulously orchestrated color and form, Hard Edge Painting. Subsequently Benjamin’s work was included in the exhibit Purist Painting traveling to Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse and the Columbus Museum of Art. The Whitney Museum used his work in Geometric Abstraction in America. Museum of Modern Art (NY) also featured the artist in their watershed exhibit The Responsive Eye.
Benjamin was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Visual Arts in both 1983 and 1989. His work has been featured in numerous museum exhibitions and is included in the public collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Art, Israel; Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; Seattle Art Museum, WA; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, NY among others.
PROJECT INCEPTION
This project is a tribute to the work of internationally renowned artist Karl Benjamin. Through the work of the Public Arts Council, Mt. San Antonio College became the benefactor of Mr. Benjamin’s work as he’s donated the rights to paintings from his triangle series for use in a large-scale mural. The project celebrates Benjamin’s work in eight large scale panels measuring 6’ X 6’ each, bringing to the campus an incomparable mosaic mural work. The mural, composed of small Venetian tiles, frames the Mt. SAC Arts Complex and provides an extraordinary view of the vibrantly colored geometric abstractions from across the campus.
Benjamin’s unique geometric abstractions represent a masterful depiction of the “hard edge” style of painting, which are captured in the mural. As such, the mural offers the students an invaluable perspective on a contemporary art form. Through that perspective, we hope to inspire students to further explore various means of art expression.
The drive behind this remarkable project came from the enthusiasm and commitment of Mt. SAC Art History faculty emeritus and member of the Public Arts Council, Richard Reynard. Following an exhibition of Karl Benjamin’s work at Mt. SAC in1969, Mr. Reynard became a longtime friend of Benjamin and collector of his work. Mr. Reynard described the 1969 Mt. SAC painting exhibition as his “first true-life, flesh and blood, close up glimpse of Karl’s work. I have several of his paintings and each day is a joy living with the vibrant colors and juxtaposed shapes.” Richard Reynard was passionate about this project, as it brought two of his loves together, the work of his dear friend Karl Benjamin and support for Mt. SAC art students. We are grateful for his generous donation of personal funds to the project. This project will provide Mt. SAC students, faculty, staff, and members of the community the opportunity to share in the joy of Karl Benjamin’s work for years to come.
MOSAICIST BIO
Mt. San Antonio College commissioned Alba Cisneros to revive the dynamic quality of Karl Benjamin’s artwork in a large-scale mosaic mural for this unique project. The close friendship between the Benjamin and the Cisneros Families over the past 55 years has played a major role in Ms. Cisneros’ understanding of Mr. Benjamin’s unique compositions. Her lifetime exposure to his paintings, along with her extraordinary talent as a mosaic artist, highly qualified her to fabricate this monumental project.
Ms. Cisneros’ career dates back to 1975, when she started working with Millard Sheets. After Sheets’ retirement, she joined his contemporary, Denis O’Connor, to further hone her skills. The large-scale murals fabricated for the former Home Savings and Loan buildings across Southern California are some of her most recognizable projects-many of which can still be enjoyed today.
Reproductions of Karl Benjamin Triangle Series Mosaics.
"Alba Cisneros, a noted mosaic artist, was personally selected by Benjamin for the commissioned work to be unveiled in the Mt. SAC Art Complex, Building 1A."
Friday, May 3, 2019, 4 additional panels were revealed.