Personal Background and Inspiration:
Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got started in art?
I live and work in Barnet, North London, where I was born in 1982.
After completing an Art Foundation course at Barnet College, I studied Illustration for several months at Middlesex University. Life became a bit more serious at this moment, with rent to pay and money needed, I dropped out from the course. I then spent most of my twenties working on the roads as a gas engineer, but also fitted carpets, carried out loft conversions, laboured on a building site, and worked the tills at Sainsbury’s.
Notwithstanding my brief spells in education, I’m virtually self-taught. I was always drawing or painting in my spare time. I started to get a bit of attention and before long I stopped working my 9-5 and decided to become a full-time artist in early 2012.
Artistic Process and Techniques:
Can you walk us through your creative process from concept to completion?
I usually start with a rough idea of what I want the work to look like. I then go out and source hundreds of photos of each object I’d like to reference in that painting. Photos come from my own archive or from the internet.
I use photoshop to manipulate each image until the composition is right and they all sit well collectively. Once I’m happy with the final photoshopped image I print them out and pin them to my studio wall. I then use these images as reference points when painting.
What mediums do you work with, and do you have a favourite?
My preferred medium is oil paint.
Themes and Influences:
Are there any artists, past or present, who have significantly influenced your work?
I’m a huge fan of James Rosenquist and Tom Sachs.
Much like myself, Rosenquist started out working on commercial projects in order to make money. He later chose to focus on personal projects to develop his own style. I feel this is a transition I went through a few years back.
Tom Critiques the world we live in, focusing on consumerism, branding and cultural identity in today’s society.
I relate to Tom’s work because like Tom, as a child I grew up around these brands, I wanted these brands but unfortunately some of them were out of reach at times as we had very little money. He also talks about his grandmother’s unbelievable work ethic which is something I can also relate to as my parents both worked tirelessly sometimes 7 days a week.
Projects and Works:
Can you share the story behind one of your favourite pieces of art?
My favourite painting is called ‘Big Bubbles, No Troubles’ (2021).
The title is based on the old Hubba Bubba slogan, and the painting describes an incident back when I was about 13 where I swore at my mum. As punishment, my mum dragged me upstairs by my ear and literally washed my mouth out with imperial leather soap. She then confiscated my computer and my football and locked me in my bedroom.
I used to sell Hubba Bubba at school for a little extra money, so I always had it stashed under my bed. I used the bubble gum to wash the taste out of my mouth ha ha ha.
What project or piece are you currently working on, and what can we expect from it?
I’m currently planning and working on my new body of work which is based around status anxiety and our ever-growing need to ‘keep up with the joneses’.
You can expect more obvious combine imagery asking questions about social standing and why we feel the need to fit in.
Do you have a particular piece that was especially challenging or rewarding to create?
Some of my most challenging paintings for me were within the ‘Absolutely Necessary’ collection. Although most of the memories I described were happy ones, there were a few that were upsetting. For me Art is meant to trigger emotion and this particular collection certainly did that.
Exhibitions:
Where have you exhibited your work, and what was the experience like?
I recently showed ‘The Milky Bar Kid Was Strong and Tough’ at The Artist Room in London. My work was contextualised alongside a key etching by Grayson Perry.
The exhibition highlighted both artists’ shared interests in aspiration, obsession, childhood, and social standing.
Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or events where people can see your work?
Regarding exhibition, details to follow soon. You can follow my work on Instagram @benjaminlevystudio
Advice:
What advice would you give to aspiring artists trying to find their own voice and style?
If I’m honest I don’t really like to offer advice as I feel one person’s journey is completely different to another’s. My advice might be useless to someone in a different situation.
If I had to, I’d say never give up, never let anyone tell you it’s not possible. Find a network of friends that have your best interests at heart and learn from each other.
Personal Insights:
If you could collaborate with any artist, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
If I could collaborate with any artist, it would be James Rosenquist as I feel we have a lot in common. I’d like to pick his brain about past projects and learn more about his process.
Art can be a lonely place at times, you’re often in the studio for hours on end with just your thoughts. It would be nice to have the company ha ha ha.