Benoit Jammes

Exclusive Interview for Appalachian Jamwich

by Andrew Brown jammes-04

Benoit Jammes is a French artist who recycles old cassette tapes and brings them to life. We are very happy to expose the Jamwich world to this international artist with a playful imagination. His work sparks a familiar sense of our childhood, playing with topics with more attachment to our youth then to the problems of our world today. If you would like to experience the ” Benoit Experience” check out his work at http://www.benoitjammes.com/

 1. Where are you from? Where do you work from now? Do you think that where/when you grew up affected how you turned out artistically? I live in Paris, France. I have always been attracted to the arts, so I start creating art around Ten years ago with graffiti, drawing and also photography. I don’t know if it makes me an artist, but I take this question as a compliment! 

2. Describe to us how you were taught your art form. Were you formally or informally trained? Were you always artistic or did something bring out the desire to create? Please elaborate. I didn’t go to art school, but I always have had a desire to created ever since I was a kid. It just takes a long time to find my own way, but I still work on it.

jammes-023. Tell me about your full creative process and the mediums you use. Cassette tapes are always the start. I just imagine what kind of second life they would have. They were first sound, then became visual!

4. What message are you trying to create through the use of cassette tapes opposed to other mediums? This is nostalgic, but also fun work. I think people from my generation relate to this work because many enjoy the funny side of it and the references. The aim is to spark an immediate reaction.

5. What tone do you believe your style of art speaks to? Which audience are you trying to reach? People are happy to see that these old cassette tapes managed to start a new life. Thanks to the pop and cool style of this project, there seem to be a broad range of audiences with the want for various style.

6. What are some challenges in your craft that you have experienced? I think that the main challenge is to make something which really represents you. Original if it’s possible and the most thoughtful it could be. jammes-01
7. Is your current installment the main focus of your artistic range or are there different strategies and mediums within your portfolio? I would like to work with a lot of different art mediums, but time is the most difficult thing to find first… 
8. Do you believe that art & creativity are necessary to form a more perfect society? Why? Without art we are simply robots, and creativity brings people to work with or to feel their deep personnality. So it could be beneficial for the society in a way.
9. Where do you specifically find inspiration for Yourself as a person and for your art? Inspiration is everywhere around: firends, comics, newspapers… We are even submerged by inspiration thanks to all new communication networks! Hard not to become a sponge…
10. Do you vend at festivals or shows? Tell us about your previous vending experiences and what benefits you hope to get out of future events. I prepared for a show, but still no date for the moment. Signed and numbered prints are available for sale, andjammes-03 it’s a quite a sucess.
11. What are you working on currently? What future plans do you have? I have many ongoing projects, also very cool, but I don’t want to tell more for the moment
12. What is the most defining moment in your life this past year? No doubt the birth of my daughter!
13. If you could teach one concept of art or life to the new generation of artists, what would it be? Make stuff with your hands for the eyes!
14. How does your specific brand of art reflect notes of positivity throughout the collective music & arts community?
The meeting of arts is always a fresh and positive way to see the world. One love 🙂