Born in 1993, New York

“Benji” Benjamin Sugarman, as a contemporary pop artist, is an anomaly.

A person out of time — living in the present, rooted in the past, yet a traditionalist who still believes in the future. He believes in what contemporary pop art was, and what it can still become.

We’re living in a hyper-modern moment, constantly pulled between the evolution and future of art. Too many people get caught up in what’s fleeting — believing that what’s happening right now is all that matters. That if they don’t engage with what’s trending this second, they’ll miss their chance — and no one will care.

But we forget: the greatest expressions of humanity often take decades, centuries, even millennia to fully understand. That’s why it’s on us to make sense of one of America’s great artistic languages — pop art — especially in its modern, contemporary form.

Very few artists care enough to both preserve the form and push it forward.

Benji is one of those rare few.

He approaches the work with true sincerity — a deep appreciation for the craft, and for the people who shaped it. From the ’80s pop art movement, to Wynwood, street art, and graffiti culture — Benji understands the technique, the lineage, and the nuance. He knows who’s doing what, and why it matters. He sees clearly what must be preserved — and what’s ready to evolve.

Even though graffiti, street art, and pop art feel old to us now, they’re still in their infancy. Without people like Benji — artists who care enough to honor the roots while reimagining the future — the next generation may not even know where to begin.

Hopefully, this is an art form that will outlast all those that preceded and informed it.

But that only happens if those with the passion, belief, and artistic acumen are there to hold it dear — and push it forward.

Press

Sun Sentinel - Broward County Newspaper Article (September 2022)