Collectin' Scalps with Stock Pt. 2: Cash Money Thousandaires (w/ Ben Morgan-Cleveland)

System of Systems

In Alex Bienstock's second edition of his SOS side project, Collectin' Scalps with Stock, Alex and Adam converse with artist, curator, and former Real Fine Arts co-director Ben Morgan-Cleveland.

For 10 years, Ben was the co-proprieter (alongside artist Tyler Dobson) of Real Fine Arts. Arguably the most interesting gallery in New York during the 2010s, Real Fine Arts helped launch the careers of friends of the show and great artists including Mathieu Malouf and Heji Shin, not to mention Sex Magazine editor Asher Penn, Sam Pulitzer, Nicolas Ceccaldi, Maggie Lee and many more.

In his own work, Ben works in a vast array of media and consistently deconstructs the limits of the gallery space, whether it's making a "gallery of words" or exhibiting a massive, hand-built couch, this guy is always doing his damn thing! In this chat, the bros discuss the legacy of Real Fine Arts, Ben's work, and Adam and Ben's shared history of growing up art phag in suburban Massachusetts.

SOUNDTRACK:

Laibach "Ein Untergang"

Guided By Voices "The Great Blake Street Canoe Race"

Mudhoney "Touch Me I’m Sick"

Blink 182 "Josie"

Shackleton "Stalker"

Corrupted "Sisto"

LINKS:

Real Fine Arts

Ben Morgan-Cleveland on the machinations of language

Adam Lehrer Art World Undercover #1Alex BienstockBen at instagram: @miami_bob