Ben Howe

Known for his scientifically-surreal aesthetic, Ben Howe has developed a method of image making that is at once hyper-realistic yet deeply concerned with the poetics of form and symbolism.

While many of his paintings reference both world events and examine the rituals of modern life, they are also fused with subconscious echoes. The works frequently examine ideas relating to inconsistencies of memory and personal history, taking the form of muted or near monochromatic paintings. Using elements of documentation and a great emphasis on the transformative process of making, Howe's ambiguous paintings are mostly derived from preliminary explorations in other media such as sculpture or film. He often produces the initial subjects in clay, plaster, paper, video or collage and disassembles or re-configures them to form new compositions and meanings.

Howe was the winner of the 2024 Richard Lester Prize for Portraiture. In 2023 He won the Eureka Prize. He received an Honourable mention in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Award in 2021. In 2019, Howe was a finalist in the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, and the Lester Prize. He was the winner of the Hill Smith Prize at NotFair in 2017. He has also been a finalist in the Black Swan Prize (2016), and the Metro 5 Award, (2012+2011). He has been the recipient of residencies and fellowships including the Ucross Foundation, USA 2015, Shangyuan Art Museum, China 2014, and SKAM, Germany 2007.

This will be Ben Howe’s second solo show at Compendium Gallery