Born 1976 Mount Barker
Wirangu Language Group (SOUTH AUSTRALIA)
EDUCATION
2012 Master of Fine Art Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne
2009 Master of Visual Art Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne
2007 Postgraduate Diploma in Visual Art Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2012 Holding Ground, Gallery Gabrille Pizzi, Fitzroy
2011 Of the Journey, Kingston Art Centre, Moorabbin
2004 Walking Barefoot, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2013 In The Public Interest, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2013 Bowness Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, Wheelers Hill
2012 Picture This, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2012 Peace, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne
2011 Black Pickett Fence, Highway Gallery, Mt Waverly
2011 Create the Example, No Vacancy, Melbourne
2011 Victorian Indigenous Art Awards, 45 Downstairs, Melbourne
2012 Compassion and Commitment, Collingwood Gallery, Collingwood
2013 In The Public Interest, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2013 Bowness Prize, Monash Gallery of Art, Wheelers Hill
2010 Summer Show, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne
2010 Gayme, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2009 Victorian Indigenous Art Awards, Boscia Galleries, Melbourne
2011 Create the Example, No Vacancy, Melbourne
2009 Exploration 09, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2009 Rapprochement, Manningham Gallery, Doncaster
2009 The Counihan Collection, Noel Counihan & Contemporary Artists, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2008 Connections, Land and People, Counihan Gallery, Brunswickll
2008 Beneath the Empire, Upstairs Flinders Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Victorian Indigenous Art Awards, Koori Heritage Trust, Melbourne
2007 Athenaeum Club Visual Art Award, Athenaeum Club, Melbourne
2007 Three Notable Talents In Australian Landscape Painting, Delshan Art Gallery, Armadale
2006 19 Australian Artists, Elizabeth Holden Gallery, Ashville NC, USA
2005 Urban Yarns: Southern Region Indigenous Arts, Counihan Gallery, Brunswick
2003 Art At The Club, The National Golf Club, Cape Schanck
2002 Raw: 50,000 Years In The Making, Oak Hill Gallery, Mornington
2000 National Works On Paper, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington
2000-2003 Art Towards Reconciliation, Guernica Cultural Center (Kultur Etxea), Travelling Exhibition 15 Venues In Europe
1999-2007 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: International Print Portfolio, (Australian representative), Inaugural Exhibition, Durban Art Gallery, Durban South Africa then travelled to venues throughout the continent of Africa, Europe and North America
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2013 Finalist, Bowness Photography Prize
2011 Winner, Deadly Award, Victorian Indigenous Art Award
2009 Commended, Deadly Award, Victorian Indigenous Art Award
2007 Finalist, Athenaeum Club Visual Arts Award
2006 Trevor Nicholls Award, Friends of the VCA
2005 Finalist, Lin Onus Award, Victorian Indigenous Art Award
2003 Art At The Club, The National Golf Club, Cape Schanck
2002 Raw: 50,000 Years In The Making, Oak Hill Gallery, Mornington
PROJECTS AND COMMISIONS
2010 – 2011 Memory in Victoria, Tapestry produced by the Australian Tapestry Workshop based on the design Spring street end for permanent display at the State Library of Victoria
2006 Co – integrated artist along with William Kelly, Woodstock Rooming House working with MGS Architects and City of Port Philip.
2004 Produced a series of animation cells for George Patterson Partners and the AFL for a TV commercial promoting Marn Grook.
COLLECTIONS
Archive of Humanist Art, Melbourne
Australian Print Workshop Archive
Chisholm Institute of TAFE
Guernica Peace Museum
Larry Rawling Fine Art Print Workshop Archive
Moreland City Council
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
Michigan State University
National Gallery of Australia
State Library of Victoria
United Nations Collection, Geneva Switzerland
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
G Murphy, “Transformation into Tapestry”, University of Melbourne Voice, Vol 7, No 5, 5 June – 10 July 2011
D Browning, “Sunshine and Lollipops”, Artlink Indigenous, Vol 31, No 2, 2011
E Benson, “Ben masters his art”, Moonee Valley Weekly, 22 March 2011
D Browning, “Deadly art award”, Awaye!, ABC Radio National, 19 March 2011
J Twining, “Artistic talent proves deadly”, Moonee Valley Leader, 14 March 2011
A Jackson, “Winner of the deadly arts”, The Age, 12 March 2011
D Browning, “Bold. Black. Brilliant.”, Awaye!, ABC Radio National, 10 July 2010
R Nelson, “Indigenous works of hope”, The Age, 8 July 2009
K Toft, “The Landscape of the Wynne”, Artscape, ABC TV, 28 July 2009
D Browning, “Blue mud bay”, Awaye!, ABC Radio National, 25 July 2009
L Elliott, “Beneath the empire”, MCV, 24 April 2008
H Gill, “Prize keeping mum”, Herald Sun, 29 October 2007
A Maccoll, “One of these guys will express artfelt thanks”, Mx, 26 October 2007
“Artistic Fire Burns Bright at Wilin”, The Koori Mail, 10 October 2007
M Modeen, (ed), “Remembered Places”, Pub. Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 2007
P Walker, “Community Housing”, Architecture Australia, May/June, 2007
“Aboriginal Artworks Included In Up Coming Exhibition”, Ashville Citizen Times, 26 February 2006
A Wengrow, “Introducing Australian Art”, Ashville Citizen Times, 12 March 2006
C Bostic, “Connecting the Dots”, Mountain XPress, 22 – 28 March 2006
N Tugwell, “AFL Clash Celebrates Indigenous Culture”, The Daily Telegraph, 19 August 2004
J Halloran, “O’Loughlin Reels Them In With Tales of Giant Mullet”, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 August 2004
Victorian Indigenous Art Awards 2005 (exhibition catalogue), 2005
S & P Wright, “Peninsula the Mornington Peninsula: A Journey”, Photoeclipse, 2003
William Kelly, (ed), “Art and Humanist Ideals: Contemporary Perspectives”, Macmillan, 2003
‘Totally Wild’ Interview: Arthur’s Seat Maze, Network 10, April 2001
J Langan, “Honour for Artist”, Mornington Peninsula Leader, 18 September 2001
“Sea Dreaming with Ben”, Mornington Mail, 1 November 2001
Art towards Reconciliation (exhibition catalogue) 2000
“Mayor’s Praise at Gala Dinner”, Mornington Peninsula Leader, 1 February 2000
Art towards Reconciliation (exhibition catalogue) 2000
P Tomlinson, “Xanana Gusmao Visits Timor’s New Friend”, Frankston Standard, 8 May 2000
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery: National Works on Paper (exhibition catalogue) 2000
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery: National Works on Paper (exhibition catalogue) 1999
K Lotter, (ed), Universal Declaration of Human Rights International Print Portfolio, (exhibition catalogue) 1999