1. Underneath all of my work is a sense of wonder in what hu-
man beings create. In the magic that we feel standing at the
foot of a Mayan Pyramid, both of these thoughts enter our
minds at the same time: First we are amazed at the shear
magnitude and magnificence of what was created so long
ago, but concurrently we wonder what went so terribly
wrong that it all vanished so mysteriously. I am filled with
these same questions when I stand amongst the crumbling
ruins of today: Who made this? Where did they go? Why did
they leave this behind? Huge glass and steel or concrete and
granite structures seem to be permanent yet when we look
at the ancient pyramids or ruins from previous civilizations
we realize that even the sturdiest of constructions can only
sustain so much before crumbling to the elements of time.
These images are an attempt to understand our place in the
universe as well as human behavior. The full spectrum of so-
cial debate can be argued, but I am actually attempting to
communicate something on a spiritual level. The subject to
me is not just about our environment, it is about human be-
ings; What we subject one another to, what we are capable
of withstanding, and finally what we leave behind. This un-
dercurrent has led me more recently to include human sub-
jects in my artworks. My initial series, which I have titled “Ru-
ined”, was devoid of people and centered on the cityscapes
themselves. I am most interested in my own neighborhood
(Historic Bronzeville) which some have dubbed the Harlem
of Chicago. Although many of our iconic institutions have
perished, some are still around, though perhaps less cele-
brated. I am not so much attempting to celebrate the proud
history (I live between the homes of Louis Armstrong and
Muddy Waters), but rather to tap into that same funky urban
aesthetic that populated their songs.
Benjamin Jaffe at the 4Art Gallery in 2009

2. Born to Amy Jaffe [ the goddaughter of Jane Adams ] and Mordecai Jaffe [ a renowned Plant Physiologist], I
attended fifteen schools before completing my education. Because of the demand for my father’s research, my
family moved constantly following the cutting edge scientific research that he was doing. As a child I lived and
attended public schools in Israel and France, as well as 7 different American cities. This rootless childhood was
rich in the cultural immersion of; language, geography, and of course art and music. I had to learn how to adapt
quickly to different environments and languages. From a young age I experienced a life most people only read
about. At age nine I watched Israeli Phantom Jets dog fight with Mig fighters over the Negev desert in the holy
land. The following year while walking home from school in Strasbourg France, I witnessed a bank robbery and
identified the gun-wielding antagonist in a police line up straight out of a 40’s Film Noir. Years later on a cold and
windy winter night in Chicago I came to the aid of a stabbing victim, chasing off the would be rapist with a fram-
ing hammer, and administering first aid on the spot to the bleeding woman with 6 puncture wounds in her body
while awaiting an ambulance. These experiences have molded me into who I am today. Because of my traveling
education I have developed a unique worldview, which has helped me to maintain an open mind.
Opening Night for
the Ruined Show
at the Mushroom
Gallery 2011
Perfection has it’s price
2006 Cabrini Green

3. Who can know what
tomorrow may bring
2008

4. I attended The North Carolina School of the
Arts for my Junior and Senior years in High
School. The experiences that I received there
forever changed the course of my life and have
led me to be a life long artist. During these two
years I had the good fortune to meet and work
with such renowned artists as: Deborah Butter-
field, William Wegman, Judy Chicago, and Karl
Wirsum (whose charm and charisma convinced
me to follow him to the School of the Art Insti-
tute of Chicago for college). At the Art Institute
of Chicago, I studied Film and Photography
and had the good fortune of studying with
some of Cinema Verite’s finest Auteurs such
as Peter Kubelka, and the late Stan Brakhage.
I was fortunate to have received a classic Art
History education under such Master Scholars
as Marilyn Houlberg, and the late Sir Robert
Loescher. I currently live on the South Side
of Chicago in the historic neighborhood of
Bronzeville, between Muddy Water’s Way and
the former home of Louis Armstrong. I taught
Photography at Kenwood Academy and Gallery
37 where I drew inspiration from my talented
That which grows crooked can not be made straight 2009
students. I now work as the Director of the Arts
for Senn Arts, a Fine and Performing Arts Mag-
net High School.

5. Tire Repair 2008

6. The sky was dark and the ground was cold 2008 Installation for “The sky was dark...” at the Mushroom Gallery

7. My process is usually the same. Each image created involves anywhere from 50 to 200
photographs taken individually and then blended together with a computer to create
composite photographs that are between 1 and 2 Gigabytes in size. I print onto canvas
with archival inks rated to 200 years longevity. My canvas is mounted with archival ad-
hesive onto Acid free Gatorboard and hand varnished with a series of UV protectant and
a classic Demar Varnish. The result is a print that can be viewed without glass and have
centuries of life without fading. The Dye Infusion Aluminum Prints are printed in San Fran-
cisco using a new process that bonds and infuses the pigment into the pores of the sheet
of metal. These prints are extremely archival and also do not require glass. As my most
recent series have evolved I have begun to experiment with different methods of disply. In
a recent one man show arranged by Chicago art critic Paul Klein, I used backlit film with
several sculptural objects to create installations for my photograps.
The Shroud 2007

8. Chop Shop 2008

9. Fist 2008
Installation for Fist at the
Mushroom Gallery 2011