“Meet the Artist” with Onaje Benjamin

On Thursday, February 15, we welcome Onaje Benjamin to “Meet the Artist” night at CPW. Benjamin’s photography reflects a passion for social justice and activism, capturing urban settings and the cultural and artistic tensions which evolve in these rapidly changing environments. His work ranges from images of street taggers and muralists, to portraits of street people and the structural and architectural evolution which symbolizes gentrification and the uprooting of disenfranchised communities. He plans to discuss his street photography and the role it plays as a mode of storytelling. This event will be live-streamed on CPW’s YouTube Page at 6 pm.

Join us every Thursday evening at CPW, when we host illuminating talks with local and visiting artists. “Meet the Artist” allows the public to get to know new work, to hear about artistic processes, and to meet friends and other local artists. The evening takes place at CPW’s gallery at 474 Broadway in Kingston, NY. It is free and open to the public. Coffee, tea, and snacks are served. “Meet the Artist” is made possible by a generous grant from the Arnold and Augusta Newman Foundation.

Onaje Benjamin is an award-winning photographer with a background in social activism. In addition to his photography, Onaje is a picture framer and maintains a studio at the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center in Poughkeepsie, NY. He has exhibited in galleries in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He currently has a solo show at the Woodstock Artist Association and Museum (WAAM). He is a recipient of a Guaranteed Income for Artist, Creatives Build New York grant and in 2022 received the Lelani Claire Award for Outstanding Achievement in Photography. He recently co-curated an exhibition at WAAM entitled “Behind the Veil” showcasing 10 regional and nationally known artists. Onaje defines himself as a documentary photographer capturing imagery at the intersections of culture, politics, social justice.

Onaje Benjamin: Storytelling in Black and White
On view January 19–February 25, 2024
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum
28 Tinker St., Woodstock, NY