Benjamin Phillips is almost too serious about certain things to be a normal artist. You know how long bronze lasts, right? Few of the most significant works of the 20th century are likely to make it to the end of the 21st in one piece without the help of caretakers like museums and private collectors providing climate and humidity controlled storage, and intermittent check-ups from restoration experts. For a young artist to choose an ancient, time-consuming medium rarely even taught at art schools these days is a big, perplexing question mark of a stubborn thing to do. Never mind the fact that the works themselves are totally flowy-touchy and, apparently, completely unembarrassed about explaining a personal experience of body and gender through mythological archetypes and anthropomorphic forms. It’s basically your middle-aged female high school art teacher in a college boy’s body, and somehow you’re into it.


Benjamin Phillips’ “Chthonian Dialogue” is at Access ARC’s Project Room (206 Carrall Street) until March 15.