We Are Art People in conversation with Todd Bienvenu

Todd Bienvenu is a painter, living in Brooklyn, New York. His paintings are a reflection of his biographical universe — they are thick, direct and humorous. Resourcing images from his daily life and occurrences, his paintings feature tattooed rockers, beach bums, urban crashes and mosh pits. It is life in motion.We discuss the journey of making comic books during his adolescence, to navigating a life as a painter in New York, contending with the materiality of paint and paper in the studio or making a tiny pizza delivery man, reminiscent of his early days riding around Brooklyn. Todd is represented by Almine Rech and Galerie Sébastien Bertrand, in Geneva. He has exhibited work internationally, in Hong Kong, London, New York, Brussels and Switzerland. In 2018, he was recognized and received an award from the American Academy of Art & Letters, for excellence in painting, conferred by Peter Saul.Links:@toddbienvenuhttps://www.alminerech.com/artists/358-todd-bienvenuhttps://sebastienbertrand.com/artist/todd-bienvenuhttps://www.artsy.net/artist/todd-bienvenuShow notes:Little Rock, Arkansas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock,_ArkansasRomare Bearden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romare_BeardenAaron Michael Skolnick https://www.marchgallery.org/exhibitions/the-entertainer/Hannah Rowan https://www.hannah-rowan.com/Bill jensen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Jensen*Poetry* Wave of Blood [2025] p.66 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariana_ReinesPioneer Works, Brooklyn https://pioneerworks.org/You might have to feel it to believe meTo believe how wretched I was but alsoHow determined. Poetry isn't a professionA person simply goes into. You haveTo be fucked up to do this and especiallyTo stay. It does not attract the bestOr the brightest. We are some of the mostSanctimonious low-attention-span narcissistsAround. But it gave me my lifeWhich I had a longing to see nakedAnd it held me up to livingIn a very naked wayAnd showed me breathingAnd gave me spaceTo find my way ...Follow @weareartpeopleSign up to our newsletter www.weareartpeople.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.