Student Showcase: Bentonio Soja
November 29th, 2023 • Written by Lourdes Hernandez
Bentonio Soja is a vibrant artist that expresses himself through multiple mediums, including but not limited to performance, photo, and written word. Soja graduated from the photo department this past Spring, and is finishing up his senior year in SIM, taking the stage by force. He expresses that SIM is an invaluable part of his education as an artist, and that the department fosters an inspiring environment that encourages discovery and exploration.
Soja expresses that his performance ideas often begin in writing. He allows his words to flow and uses his truth as a basis for the stories he creates. Bentonio’s identity is integral to his perspective as an artist. To him, “...all art is political at the end of the day… Because my existence is political.” Soja talks about how growing up in foster care, being Jewish, and being queer are all large inspirations for his work. He lives his life and lets pieces emerge from his experiences by immersing himself in the artistic process. While everyone’s artistic process is different, Soja recognizes that his process involves spending lots of time with his art in the studio, and allowing experimentation and mistakes to happen.
In this way, Soja is a storyteller. He states that in “a lot of [his] art [he] takes truths from my life and fictionalize them and pick them apart.” He calls it lying, and refers to these lies as a way for him to share his thoughts, feelings, and experiences with others without confining himself to an individual narrative. “I live for the moment and the moment lives for me and sometimes the moment is when I lie,” he says. Soja expresses that all of his pieces are connected because lots of his pieces are based on personal experience. But as they develop, they take on individual meanings and characteristics. He also talks about testing people’s perception of himself. Knowing you are what you choose to be, as well as what everyone believes you to be, Soja embraces rumor and uses it to his strength. In his ongoing series, Dear Dad, he investigates information left behind by his father and exposes how he is processing that information and emotion while also allowing lies and stories to flourish. Dear Dad is inspired by family journals and archives, or lack thereof, as Soja expresses. The series is ongoing and will consist of 59 character portraits that may or may not represent Soja’s father, he expresses cheekily. There is much to be revealed about this project. Dear Dad is intriguing, possibly audacious, and deeply personal, just like Soja.
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