Gavin Benjamin

Gavin Benjamin (b. 1971) is a multifaceted artist who combines original analog photography and appropriated images with collage, paint, and varnish to create rich and luxurious works that call back to baroque traditions while incorporating elements of current culture to provoke, critique, and explore.

Born in Guyana, South America and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Benjamin received his B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. During this time, he worked as an intern for the legendary portrait photographer, Arnold Newman. Benjamin also worked as a black and white and color printer at LTI and Baboo color labs. From there, he went on to work at Edge Reps and Exposure NY, agencies representing commercial and advertising photographers, prop stylists, as well as hair and makeup artists. He went on to work as a freelance production coordinator/photo editor with stints at Kenneth Cole productions, Esquire Magazine, Hachette Filipacchi Media, and Good Housekeeping magazine.

Benjamin investigates the intersection of culture, media, politics, fashion, and design, addressing questions that (continue to) confront men of color in America today. 

“My work reflects everything that I’m thinking – it includes everything that I love and everything that I’m challenged by. It’s honest and curious and bright and thoughtful. And sometimes a little dark. It’s all of the things that made me want to be a professional artist in the first place.”

His work has appeared at the Slick Paris, Sotheby’s NY, Architectural Digest Home Design Show, Art Hampton, Affordable Art Fair, Scope Miami, Palm Beach Modern, Context Miami, Context NY, Art Silicon Valley, and the LA Art Fair.