An Interview with Jason Benjamin and Robyn Berkeley II

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• published: 18 Mar 2013
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Jason Benjamin http://www.berkeleyeditions.com.au/content/jason-benjamin 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. Berkeley Edtions Limited Edition Artworks are highly collectable and some of our editions run to as few as twenty-five prints. Each work is numbered and signed by the artist. The Berkeley Editions 'chop' (embossed blind stamp) is your guarantee of authenticity. Fine Art Limited Editions appreciate in value as the artist's career escalates, so the sooner you acquire a limited edition the more you can enjoy the sophistication it brings to your home, the beauty of the artwork and the potential growth in its value. Berkeley Editions publish Fine Art Limited Editions for the local and international markets and they are featured in leading galleries, institutions, and major corporate collections all around the world. We also acquire and commission artwork for private and corporate collections. Specialised knowledge and personal service are the keys to our highly prized reputation and we look forward to being of assistance to you. Australian Artists * Jason Benjamin * Charles Blackman OBE * Arthur Boyd AO, AC, OBE * David Boyd * Criss Canning * Fred Cress AM * Ray Crooke AM * Melissa Egan * Frank Hodgkinson AM * Malcolm Jagamarra * Jasper Knight * Colin Lanceley * David Larwill * Kerrie Lester * Bob Marchant * Helen Norton * Margaret Olley AC, AO * Kevin Pearsh * Clifton Pugh AO * Craig Ruddy * Martin Sharp OA * Garry Shead * Andrew Southall * Tim Storrier AM * Salvatore Zofrea For more information visit: www.berkeleyeditions.com.au