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ben cook
landscape paintings
Saturday 13th January - Saturday 3rd February
selected works
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“..his paintings far outshine those of almost all of his contemporaries...”
The Guardian, May 2002
please scroll down to read about this artist
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Cornish Landscape Painting
polyurethane, fibreglass, resin & surfwax 67 x 95cm £2,250
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Dead Calm
polyurethane, fibreglass, resin & surfwax
59 x 117cm £2,250
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Bellyboard Landscape I
wood, oil paint & varnish
22 x 40cm £450 |
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Field
polyurethane, fibreglass, resin & surfwax
120 x 120cm £3,500 |
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Green Seascape I
balsa wood, hempcloth, cellulose paint, resin & surfwax
42 x 61cm £1,200 |
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Green Seascape II
balsa wood, fibreglass, cellulose paint, resin & surfwax
42 x 61cm £1,200 |
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Nightscape I
oil on board
30 x 40cm £450 |
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Nightscape II
oil on board
31 x 38cm £450
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Nightscape III
oil on board
30 x 40cm £450 |
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Storm
wood, cellulose paint & surfwax
25 x 33.5cm £450
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Set
wood, cellulose paint & surfwax
30 x 37cm £450 |
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Granite Block I
surfwax on board
8 x 20.5cm £315 |
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Granite Block II
surfwax on board
17 x 20.5cm £325 |
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Shelter
surfwax on board
20.5 x 25.5cm £340
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Stormbreak
surfwax on board
17.5 x 20cm £325
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Ben Cook ‘Landscape Paintings’
Ben Cook is a name that might not be recognisable to many in the South West but in his previous home of Manchester, any one connected to, or interested in the arts would immediately identify the name of this young, emerging star of the art world.
His work has been reproduced and reviewed many times in The Guardian, “…an intriguing and enjoyable show… the results are stunning…” January 2001, “… his paintings far outshine those of almost all of his contemporaries…” May 2002. His photo has also been featured in The Times Magazine and his name listed as one of the “talented individuals who are re-inventing the North”.
His CV encompasses solo shows at Pump House Gallery, London, The Lowry - Arts Council National Touring Programme, The Whitworth, Manchester, The Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield, whilst mixed exhibitions have seen his work in; The Museum of Nonconformist Art, St Petersburg - ‘British Abstraction Now’, ‘John Moores Painting Prize’ - Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool and ‘In Transit’ - Chelsea Arts Building, New York to name just a few. His work is held in many collections including Arts Council of England, The Whitworth and British Airways. He also recently won 3rd Prize in the One Love, Football Art Prize at the Lowry and was presented with his award by Michael Owen.
The North’s loss is most definitely the South West’s gain.
Ben Cook is an artist who responds to his immediate environment and his work is a reflection of this environment and culture. While living and working in Manchester, he engaged with the textile industry and manufactured his ‘found paintings’ from the materials produced by that industry.
A move to his new rural environment of Penwith two years ago provided Ben with a stark contrast to his previous city life and prompted a new series of work. The pre-occupation with seascapes in the area has furthered his investigation of the contemporary landscape and how this can be depicted in relation to abstract painting. The new pieces use the raw materials of the surf industry, polyurethane and fiberglass to fabricate his abstract paintings. Surf wax is used as a drawing tool, creating layers of textural surface reminiscent of granite that contrast with the highly polished, reflective monotone sections of the constructions.
The manufacturing process of surfboards uses a variety of materials that are not entirely environmentally friendly - something at stark odds with the ethos of the surfing community. This exhibition includes new works made from sustainable surfboard materials and a range of small works from oil paintings to wooden constructions and the surf wax drawings.
“I am currently working on a proposal to be resident artist in a surfboard factory in Portreath. The company is the world leader in promoting the use of environmentally friendly materials in surfboard construction. I am developing a new series of landscape works, which reflect the eco-technologies being developed in this area of the South West. The aesthetic of the works mixes St Ives School modernism with surfboard design and the ‘Finish fetish’ movement of 60’s west coast America.“ Ben Cook.
“I am delighted to exhibit the work of Ben Cook as the first solo exhibition at Cornwall Contemporary. He is an artist with enormous integrity and a highly distinguished career and his new collection of work is both visually stunning and challenging.”
Sarah Brittain, Director of Cornwall Contemporary.
Ben Cook
Three years ago Manchester lost a rising art star to Cornwall’s lure of the sea. Featured in The Times Magazine as one of the “talented individuals who are re-inventing the North.” Ben Cook left his city life and headed south with his young family. Determined to learn to surf before he was forty, it could be perceived as an outlandish whim that brought an artist fascinated with football and fashion to a county steeped in the tradition of light and landscape. With an unfaltering career - reviewed many times in The Guardian, shows at Pump House Gallery, London, The Lowry, The Museum of Nonconformist Art, St Petersburg and ‘British Abstraction Now’, ‘John Moores Painting Prize’ - his position has been one of prominence on the contemporary art scene. Moving to rural Cornwall, his work has responded to the culture of the environment. Ben says the following about the collection which uses surf wax as a new drawing tool: “I am developing a new series of landscape works, which reflect the eco-technologies being developed in this area of the South West. The aesthetic of the works mixes St Ives School modernism with surfboard design and the ‘Finish fetish’ movement of 60’s west coast America.“ This is work that can be approached on many levels - it is beautiful, responsive and thoughtful, it also draws attention to a direction towards sustainability in the previously plastic surf world which is certainly no bad thing. Whether it is modernist painting or surf culture that is your first love, these are paintings that will intrigue you.
Chloe Wild, January 2007 edition of Cornwall Today Magazine
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1 Parade Street, Queens Square, (top of Chapel Street), Penzance, Cornwall TR18 4BU
Telephone: 01736 874749
Opening times: Monday - Saturday 10 - 5
Gallery Director: Sarah Brittain sarah@cornwallcontemporary.com
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