Jason Benjamin
1971 -
Jason Benjamin was born in Melbourne in 1971 and now lives and works in Sydney. He has been exhibiting since 1989 and has won the Mosman Art Prize in Sydney three times and in 1997 the prestigious Kings School Art Prize for landscape painting.
Benjamin's evocative works are visually stunning, modern neoclassical pieces. Whether his choice of subject is a sweeping landscape, a floral composition or a beautiful nude, Benjamin's paintings have a mysterious, haunting edge to them. They possess a monumental cinematic quality that is unique, with accompanying titles that conjure up an alternative viewpoint. His work shows a sensitive understanding of form and light, possessing subtle tonalities within these strong compositions.
It is only rarely that an artist of such high calibre is accompanied with nation-wide appeal, but young artist Jason Benjamin has been singled out as an artist whose work is both appealing and collectable. The Australia Art Collector magazine shortlists Benjamin in their 'Top 50 Most Collectable Australian Artist' alongside the critically acclaimed names of Blackman, Olsen, Whiteley, Boyd and Nolan.
Jason Benjamin has been exhibited in Australia as well as overseas in London, Tokyo, Singapore and New York. He also has received many commissions including sixteen paintings for the new cruise ship Queen Mary II. In April 2005 he was awarded the 'Packers' prize in the 2005 Archibald Prize for his portrait of actor Bill Hunter called 'Staring Down the Past'.
His work is such hot property in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that his exhibitions are frequently sold out prior to the opening night.
Collections
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Macquare Bank, Sydney Art Bank, Sydney Ballarat Art Gallery, Ballarat Shepparton Art Gallery, Shepparton Mornington Peninsular Art Gallery, Victoria The Derwent Collection, Tasmania Gold Coast City Gallery Significant private collections throughout Australia and overseas
Commissions
Queen Mary II, sixteen paintings; William Creek and Beyond: Deague Family Art Foundation; Burswood Hotel, Perth; Australian Capital Equity; Chanel, Australia
Recent Exhibitions (Solo)
2009: BMG Art, Adelaide "The Kiss of Life"; 2009: Metro 5 Melbourne (4 - 29 March); 2008: Jan Murphy Gallery Brisbane, Hirokazu Degawa, Tokyo; 2007: Metro 5 Gallery Melbourne, Hirokazu Degawa, Tokyo, Galeria Tondinelli Rome; 2006: BMG Art Adelaide, Borderland, Greenhill Galleries Perth.
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Jason Benjamin is featured in the recently released book, The Artist's Lunch by Alice McCormick and Sarah Rhodes. Photographer Sarah Rhodes and writer Alice McCormick spent three years visiting the homes and private studios of Australia's pre-eminent artists. They hunted echidna with Dorothy Napangardi in the desert outside Alice Springs and tasted home-pressed Tuscan olive oil at Jeffrey Smart's. The result of their journey is a surprising, sumptuous feast. |