Residency Reflections: Benito Ekmekdijan
Can you describe your first impression of Le Moulin de Marnay and the
surrounding environment?
I was immediately inveigled by the idyllic imagery, the landscapes that surrounded the
residence were powerful and infinite. For the first few days, I felt attacked by the
extreme silence. I was not used to it and it was alarming, later it became a source of
peace and a space for reflection.
How did the residency impact your creative process or shift your
perspective as an artist?
It was enthralling to submerge myself in a context and work from it. It was an exercise I
took back to my studio in England and it showed a different perspective regarding how
much you can be involved in what you do and the topics you touch. It felt like taking
tools, references and experiences from a bottomless box, and everything I took was in
harmony due to it being “raised” or harvested in the same place.
Was there a particular moment during the residency that stands out as
transformative or unexpected?
My first sleepless night was quite transformational, I was painting a very simple image
of a white piano and the amount of involvement and absorption was a spiritual
experience. Being trapped in the attic studio for the duration of a long blue night induced
a particular melancholic focus, or as I call it, a romantic concentration that carried
throughout the session in golden manner.
What did the time away from your regular environment teach you about
your needs as an artist?
Community is a key aspect of contemporary art. Alvaro Barrington constantly repeats
that you should find your tribe, a sensitive circle is as important as showing up to work.
Distractions are needed to but not in excess, only as a way to unhook, to rest.
Is there anything you left behind — literally or metaphorically — when the
residency ended?I left behind a lot of doubts and insecurities about my studio practice, with the residency
I understood both my maturity and all I needed to work on, it created a consensus of
hope and confidence.
Anything else you would like to share?
Apply, don’t think you can’t get it because you started painting late, because you are
self taught or because you didn’t go to a top university (among other possible reasons
you might find limitating). Insist on what you got as long as it was done in the realm of
honesty and trust yourself to the point of delusion.
