Benjamin L. Jones

Benjamin L. Jones is the Provost’s Fellow and Assistant Professor (Fall 2025) in the Department of History of Art at The Ohio State University. His work bridges art history and critical theory, focusing on speculative analysis of oppressed communities and Black radical aesthetics. Affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences, he holds a B.A. (highest honors) from the San Francisco Art Institute and pursued graduate studies at Northwestern University, earning a Critical Theory certificate.

Education:

• B.A. in History and Theory of Contemporary Art, San Francisco Art Institute (highest honors)
• Graduate studies in Art History at Northwestern University, with an interdisciplinary cluster certificate in Critical Theory

Research Interests:

Explores contemporary art’s intersections with power dynamics, futurism, and Black radical visual culture. Integrates critical pedagogy, ethnic studies, and feminist reworkings of quantum mechanics. Current projects include What We Cain't Do: The Pedagogy of the Black Radical Aesthetic Tradition and What We Fin’na Do: Afterlives of the Underground Railroad in Art.

Awards & Funding:

• Funded by the Social Science Research Council and Mellon Foundation
• 2022-23 Dissertation Fellow, UCSB Department of Black Studies

Advising & Collaborations:

Facilitated the Black Arts Movement School Modality (2022, East Coast) with Romi Crawford, Theaster Gates, and others. Engages interdisciplinary collaborations across art, academia, and activism.

Contact: 220 Pomerene Hall, Columbus, OH 43210 | jones.8304@osu.edu