I found Ben Fink to be a very interesting person to listen to. Despite his soft, uncommanding voice, he had the ability to generate enthusiasm in me that I rarely - if ever - get from MCA's art lectures. From funny stories of celebrities to technical aspects of his work, Ben Fink kept his lecture fun for the most part. Fink's photos were very pleasing to look at. I particularly enjoyed the series of sexual foods. The one thing that amazed me the most during this lecture was his landscape photos. It was amazing for me to see photos that are virtually identity to oil paintings or as someone said, "impressionism on acid." The way the colors would mesh and pop from the photos was something that I found truly unique. As much as I am giving him now, Ben Fink started to lose steam near the end of his lecture for me. Not because he had nothing to say, but because he began losing connection with me when he presented some of his most personal and tragic series of the sick and dying. Though, it was a very emotional and powerful moment in the lecture, I feel that he became lost in his personal feelings during his presentation. By the end of the lecture, I felt that he had abandoned me, the viewer, to dwell on what is a very sensitive topic for him. All in all, Ben Fink was a very good lecturer. One of those rare instances where I don't feel shortchanged by the artist lectures.
Art Difuria
I regret to say that I found Difuria pretty disappointing. When I went into the lecture, I was not expecting to sit through what felt like a was another Duran lecture - I love Duran, though. Also, I felt that he came a little too prepared. As crazy as that sounds, Difuria almost sounds robotic during his lecture. With that said, he presented a well formatted platform for the life of the not so well known Van Hanskirk. Van Hanskirk was a very interesting man who, with his art, spoke upon the infallicy of nature and man's temporary existence. I really enjoyed Van Hanskirk's etches of Rome. I particularly found the coliseums expecially beautiful, as it reminded me of why I became an artist in the first place. Difuria's lecture did leave me quite inspired, though I did not find his lecture really engaging.
