Luca Benzimra — Ratrock Magazine

Feature by Brontë Grimmer

Photos by Jade Li and Caroline Cavalier

Luca Benzimra is a junior studying Philosophy and Business at Columbia, where he is currently completing a dual degree with Sciences Po. Born and raised in Paris, Benzimra experiments with bleach and dye to create large swaths of color that bleed into the canvases. Marking a departure from his previous figurative pieces with acrylic and oils, his new series explores themes of philosophy, emotion, and the true-self.

Benzimra's approach can be viewed as an artistic continuation of work done during the Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1950s that he uses to enter into philosophical discussions on subjects such as self-knowledge. Entirely self taught, Benzimra’s process is both additive and subtractive, as his use of dyes and bleach allows him to layer and remove color to create lush canvases. The use of his subconscious mind is critical to his work - as the free, unreserved expression of his subconscious desires and beliefs is at the core of his artistic voice. During our conversation, we discussed his artistic practices, the underlying principles of his art, his aspirations for the future, and how he sees the act of creation as a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human.

Luca Benzimra, *They are living in peace,* fabric dye and bleach on canvas, 30 x 40 inches.

Your most recent dye series has a very distinct style characterized by large blocks of color fading into one another. What did your early experiences with the arts look like?

Before this series, I experimented with various mediums; oil pastels, oil paints, acrylics, spray paints, and so on. My work was a mix of figurative stuff, but I found I was never satisfied with purely figurative depictions, I was always sort of distorting them. After I got bored with oil paints, I added in acrylics and spray paint. While they were much less figurative, they were still very precise.

What do you believe caused this shift from figurative art to a more abstract style?

With figurative pieces, I always thought there were imperfections in my work. With dyes in my new series, there are no imperfections. I think that's one of the reasons why I like this medium. I get to finish a painting when I think it's right, and it doesn't need to be precise or look a certain way. That’s not to say I never feel frustrated with dyes. Sometimes I’ll think a work is finished because it looks balanced, until I look back on it. But there's something that excites me about this dilemma.

I had a piece in the beginning which I didn’t like and never wanted to post online, but I continued working on it. I added more and more layers on top of the original piece, and now I’m satisfied with it.

Luca Benzimra, *On the edge,* fabric dye and bleach on canvas, 48 x 72 inches.

Were there reasons other than the desire to experiment and represent forms differently that drove you to start using dye?

After moving to New York in the autumn of 2022, I was looking for cheaper alternatives in terms of medium, so it was mainly because of financial reasons. In Paris, I could buy materials for way less and had a studio where I could work and stretch my canvases, but I don’t have that here.

I went to the Blick store one day and bought some dyes and a pack of small canvases. I didn’t know how to use them, but I experimented anyway. The first time I tried using dyes, it was so awful, all except for one. It was a process of trial and error.

Luca Benzimra, *unbothered,* fabric dye and bleach on canvas, 16 x 20 inches.

As a student, do you feel that there is a connection between your studies and your art?

I’d say I’ve become more invested in my art since I started studying philosophy.

My favorite area right now is self-knowledge; the pursuit of understanding what the true self means. I believe we’re never really going to have an answer to what the true self is by trying to explain our ideas through writing.

The only way I can express myself in the truest possible way, which has no constraints imposed by language or representation, is through my art. In a way, the unconstrained self is what I'm trying to access. To me, it's being able to completely pour my subconscious out on a canvas. Once I’m done working, there's a point where I think to myself, “Okay, now this is finished,” and everything I did was completely unconscious.

Luca Benzimra, *Dilemma,* fabric dye and bleach on canvas, 16 x 20 inches.

Do you have any hopes for how other people perceive your art?

I think the cool thing about art is everybody has a different experience with it. If an artist has a clear thing to say about their piece, I think it's always nice to have the context of what they were thinking. However, by no means is my art supposed to have a strict meaning. My series right now is extremely selfish, it's a portrait of me.

As long as the person feels something, I think it's cool. Paintings resonate with you because of who you are, your experiences, what you’ve been through, or your trauma. Our understanding of the arts and representation is an active thing within us that is always reacting to our environments.

Luca Benzimra, *Des poèmes marqués par le temps,* acrylic, 48 x 60 inches.

How do you hope to foster your love for the arts in the future? Do you see your artistic practice as a career or as more of a hobby?

The reason why I decided not to go to art school is that art is not the only thing I'm interested in. Art for me is necessary, it's an extension of who I am. I think it is very important to nurture this aspect of myself.

I'm always going to make room for art. I want to be a full-time artist, it's a dream, but I also don't think I would be satisfied with having art as my only pursuit. Only pursuing art also means forgetting another part of myself, which I want to continue to possess.

Such a drastic change between styles clearly indicates that you’re open to artistic exploration. How do you approach pursuing a life as an artist?

Some people fully embrace their creative side and make art their means of expression, putting their creativity into visual practice. We tend to consider these people as artists more than other people just because their art is visual, but not all art is meant to be seen. Showcasing your art does not make you more of an artist than somebody else.

I don’t like the label of being an ‘artist.’ I think everyone is one. For me, I'm into painting because I love that aspect of the human experience. Being able to be creative is what makes me human.

Luca Benzimra, *Frustrated,* fabric dye and bleach on canvas, 16 x 20 inches.

Is there anything else you want to share?

I don’t want people to feel they are not talented in the arts. Don't let intrinsic artistic ability be a barrier, I actually don’t really think that exists. Having an artistic practice that you sustain makes people fuller individuals. If you enjoy writing, write. If you enjoy singing, sing. Pursuing the arts is having a conversation with yourself, which is important because we are rarely in conversation with our true selves.

How can we keep up with what you’re up to?

My Instagram, my handle is @lucabenzimra.

My website: https://www.lucabenzimra.com/

FEATURES