Ben Heine is an illustrator, portraitist, caricaturist and photographer. The 26-year-old was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and currently resides in Brussels. He has studied graphic arts, sculpture and holds a degree in journalism. Oh yeah he can also speak fluent French, English and Dutch! His most recent project caught my eye, which he describes as digital circlism.
Using varying sizes of different shaded circles, Heine meticulously arranges them to form incredible digital portraits. Check out his work below, with snippets from an interview on his blog littered throughout:
What is your personal philosophy and is it somehow embedded into your creativity?
I have always had a very generous conception of art, I don’t like the way art is nowadays used for commercial purposes only and proposed to the elite, I think everybody should have the chance to see and enjoy culture. My artistic work is mainly the result of what influences me and inspires me the most in my close environment.
You know that nowadays the principles are different from the past. To succeed, you need to be different. How would you define the “normal people” of today?
I agree, difference is always important but normality is also good. I think the best way to succeed what you do is to be sincere and bring something new and interesting. “Hard work” and “results” are values that matter the most for me. by the way, it’s funny to realize that very different people often try to be as normal as they can while many “normal persons” do their best to be different. I think it is related to culture, lifestyle, the purposes and personal opinions you have in life. I guess normal people would not even bother trying to know what normal people are, they would just carry on their life as it is. And this is a great choice.
Do you have a preference for any of your activities – photography, cartoons?
Photography and Illustration are indeed my two main interests. I don’t prefer one or the other. My photos are often non-political while my paintings and drawings have a strong political content with sometimes a provocative meaning. Choosing one or the other graphic option really depends on my mood and the message I wish to convey at a particular moment.
BEN HEINE IS EVERYWHERE!
You can find Mr. Heine in a variety of communities online, check him out!
– Ben Heine personal website
– Ben Heine on Flickr
– Ben Heine on deviantART
– Ben Heine on Blogger
– Ben Heine on Twitter
I’ve also included a few other works of Ben that caught my eye just because…
If you’re on Twitter or Facebook, let’s connect!
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