Young Guns 16: Ben Denzer
By Brett McKenzie on Nov 01, 2018
Showcasing the incredible winners of Young Guns 16
After months of decisions, discussions and debate, The One Club For Creativity is thrilled to unveil the winners of Young Guns 16! These 30 art directors, illustrators, filmmakers, photographers and designers of all types stood above all in this career-making, globe-spanning portfolio-based competition.
Ahead of the Young Guns 16 Ceremony + Party taking place on November 15, we are shining a spotlight on the various superstars who will be honored that evening.
Ben Denzer
Artist, Designer & Publisher
New York, NY
What does joining the Young Guns family mean to you?
It's a huge honor! This was my second time entering and I worked to add some new projects to my portfolio. I grouped my work so I could show depth in a diversity of areas and made sure everything was uniformly documented.
What sorts of challenges have you encountered to get where you are today as a creative?
I've found that people don't let you do something (be that hiring you for a job or commissioning you for project) until they see that you've already done it (or something very similar to it), so I try to be proactive in starting my own projects and being rigorous about them. I've also had a lot of support from those around me and have been very lucky.
How did you decide what to enter?
I entered my strongest work, showing a diversity of projects that were all connected through a common interest (the book as a physical object).
Can you name any past Young Guns winners who you look up to, whose work you admire or are even inspired by?
Yes! To name a few: Braulio Amado (YG13), Derek Brahney (YG15), Pablo Delcan (YG14), Ben Grandgenett (YG15), Tim Lahan (YG10), Matt Luckhurst (YG10), Tracy Ma (YG11), Andrew Myers (YG12), Elana Schlenker (YG13), Amber Vittoria (YG15) and JooHee Yoon (YG13).
What keeps you going, creatively speaking? What drives you and your work?
Setting arbitrary goals and working towards them. I've found deadlines (like the Young Guns application) are useful in getting myself to bring projects to a presentable resolution.
I also try to make routines that keep me feeling productive. Since late 2011, I've created a daily composite image of all the things I saw and found interesting that day. By holding myself to this project (which gets better as the archive grows), I give myself something I can feel productive about even on days filled with other frustrations.
Now that you’re a Young Guns winner, what’s next?
More hard work!
The Young Guns 16 Ceremony & Party takes place on Thursday, November 15 in New York City.
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