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Born in 1990, Ben Stephenson is a British artist currently living and working in Mexico. The multidisciplinarian works across painting, sculpture, and installations.
The artist investigates ideas around the act of observing the world from a distance, Othering, and the misinterpretations this can entail. Ben combines sourced historical narratives, films and photographs with still life drawings, reassessing pre-existing ideas on indigenous and Latin American cultures.
Citing folklore and legends previously mystified and romanticised by the Eurocentric art history canon, the artist paints new, fantastical tales. The resulting works harbour an almost surrealist-realism - mirroring the self-mythologising artists he pays homage to and inviting viewers to empathise with the imagined Other through stories and images.
His primary medium is painting, although his practice is multidisciplinary and encompasses sculpture, photography and performative installations.
Notions of Colonialism and Voyeurism are central themes throughout his work as he investigates the act of looking at/observing the world from a distance and the misinterpretations that entail.
For this reason he has traveled from London to work in a different climate and culture with the intentions of absorbing new stimuli as well as reassessing pre-existing ideas of the exotic.
From September 2010 to June 2011, he went to Byam Shaw School of Art, Central Saint Martins (UAL), London to take Distinction in Art and Design Foundation.
Then, from September 2011 to July 2014, he went to Wimbledon College of Art (UAL), London to take Fine Art (painting), and received a First Class BA - honors degree.
Afterwards, on September 2014 to April 2015, he went to Royal Drawing School, London, for a Scholarship in Intensive Drawing Course
He also took Modern and Contemporary African Art in 2017, a short course in Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
Finally, on January to February 2020, he went to Bogota, Colombia to have the Intensive Natural Dyes Workshop
Ben has spent the past two years living and working between Colombia and Mexico. His most recent exhibitions include 'FAIN feria' in Monterrey, Mexico, 'Genesis in the Retort' at the Museo de la Ciudad in Queretaro, Mexico, and 'NADA' at Outsiders Gallery in Queretaro, Mexico.
Much of his work displayed is derived from historical narratives, with source imagery in films and photographs being a primary stimulus.
He was awarded 1st prize by the Mexican Embassy in London for a collaborative sculpture in the recent Camaradas exhibition at The Koppel Project Exchange in July 2021.
2018- Kaffig - the RYDER projects, 19a Herald Street, London.
2012-The Historical Box : Performance Hauser and Wirth, Piccadilly, London.
2012- ‘Aural Contract: The freedom of speech itself ’/ ‘Mountain Language Project’ : Performance Project with Lawrence Abu Hamdan, The Showroom, London
The Gallery
Q & A
One of the most significant pieces fofor my artistic journey is The Dive, which features a figure mid-flight, divinginto the crest of a Hokusai-like wave. It marks a pivotal moment in my creative process. Originally, The Divestarted as another painting, but in a moment of abandonment, I poured paint over it—essentially destroyingthe original image to start anew. This act of letting go, embracing destruction as part of the creative process,symbolises a key principle in my work: that destruction and creation are intimately linked. For me, The Diverepresents a leap into the unknown, a willingness to embrace change, and the courage to begin again.
Many things, and I don’t think that it would be possible fofor me to pinpoint only one specific moment or thing.My desire to create art has always been an intrinsic part of who I am. Over time, I have realised that makingart was a way fofor me to process the world around me, to explore my personal identity in relation to myexperiences, and to communicate ideas in a poetic manner.
I want my work to be a reflection of the complexity and beauty of the human experience, one that invitescontemplation and introspection. My pieces oftften convey a sense of mystery or otherwrworldliness, and I hopethey prompt viewers to pause, ask questions, and engage with the world from a difffferent perspective. If I hadto distil it into one idea: I want my art to leave people thinking about the spaces between things—the spaceswhere meaning is not always immediately clear, but where discovery happens.
My style is constantly evolving, and I think it’s always a work in progress. What I’ve learned over time is thatthe key to developing a style is to stay true to what excites you as an artist. I’ve spent years experimentingwith difffferent techniques, materials, and themes, and through that exploration, certain elements have becomecentral to my work. One of the core aspects of my style is the balance between abstraction andrepresentation, particularly when exploring themes of nature and the human foform. But the most important partof this development has been a willingness to fail, to try new things, and to evolve without being afraid to stepaway from what is familiar.
The journey to becoming an artist, especially as a profession, is a long one, and it requires both passion andperseverance. My advice would be to stay committed—even on the tough days when you feel uninspired orunsure of yourself. Keep pushing through, because those moments of doubt are part of the process. Also,don’t be afraid to experiment and reinvent your process along the way. Every new technique or idea you explore is a part of your development. Above all, be patient with yourself. The path to finding your voice as anartist takes time, and it’s okay to evolve and change along the way.
Absolutely. I draw a lot of inspiration from my experiences living in Latin America, particularly in places likeColombia and Mexico. The vibrant cultures, rich traditions, and profofound spiritual connections to nature allfeed into my creative process. Right now, I live in Oaxaca, a city that’s steeped in history and culture, and thisenvironment deeply influences my work. I oftften explore themes from Mesoamerican and pre-Hispanicmythologies, especially those that delve into the relationships between humans, nature, and the cosmos, suchas shamanism, Nahuales (shape-shiftfting spirits), and animism. The landscape here—its colours, textures,and natural materials—also plays a significant role in shaping my work.
I’m always drawn to the idea of working with organic materials in new ways. I’ve experimented with Adobe(clay-soil composites) and ceramics in the past, but I’d love to explore these materials further, especially foforcreating sculptures that reflect my ongoing interest in the natural world. Another area I’m excited about isincorporating more natural pigments and dyes into my paintings. These materials not only have a rich culturalhistory, but they also connect me directly to the earth—something I find deeply inspiring. I’m still exploring thefull potential of these techniques, and I look foforwrward to where they might take my work.
I’m always drawn to the idea of working with organic materials in new ways. I’ve experimented with Adobe(clay-soil composites) and ceramics in the past, but I’d love to explore these materials further, especially for creating sculptures that reflect my ongoing interest in the natural world. Another area I’m excited about isincorporating more natural pigments and dyes into my paintings. These materials not only have a rich culturalhistory, but they also connect me directly to the earth—something I find deeply inspiring. I’m still exploring thefull potential of these techniques, and I look forwrward to where they might take my work.
Living in Oaxaca, I’m fofortunate to be surrounded by beautiful landscapes, and I oftften find inspiration in thelocal environment. I also collect natural materials like pigments, clays, and tree resin, which I incorporate intomy work. Being in nature not only fuels creativity but also grounds me.
“Keep it up.” There were moments early on when I questioned myself and my ability to pursue art as a career.But looking back, I realise that the only way foforwrward was through persistence and patience. So, my advice tomy younger self would be to trust the process, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.Everything you experience will shape you as an artist.