Ben Smith

My painting practice beginswith drawing, making sketches in urban locations in south London where I liveand work. Returning to the studio I photocopy the drawings and create thecompositions for my paintings through collage, using a cut up technique, aimingto mimic the repetition and interchangeability of aspects of the contemporaryurban landscape, and the way that familiar landmarks often come to mind that wecannot quite place. 

Very few of my paintings are based on a single drawn image:most are constructed by the collage technique and depict scenes that do notexist in the actual London landscape, perhaps constituting an attempt toportray the geography of our urban surroundings that we carry inside our heads.

Recently I have begun to drawcompositions entirely in the studio, using my plein air drawings as referencerather than photocopying them to make up the finished image. This phase of work has brought the human figure more into my paintings. 

For more information on my work feel free to get in touch.