Profile

After studying a BA in product design and new media, Ben began his career as an architectural lighting designer – an industry he has been working in for over a decade.

“Working as a lighting designer has allowed me to develop my existing design training, whilst learning new skills. I have learnt to appreciate the bigger picture of the surrounding architectural environment – not just focusing on the object, but also the space in which it resides.”

In addition to his work as a lighting designer, Ben independently develops his own art and design work. This includes sculpture, visual media and sound based artwork. The most significant influences on his work have come from an interest in physical structure, mechanisms and pattern, observed both in the natural world and in the man-made.

“Most of my sculptural pieces do not have a defined meaning or reason for being, nor do they directly represent any one thing. A sculpture will often start life as a thought, function or an observed detail, which is then developed and extended into a new form. I feel that each individual has a different experience in relation to art, and should not be told what to see or how to feel.”

Ben sees his work as a constantly evolving journey, its progression fuelled by experimentation, conceptual thinking and collaboration with others.

“The most valuable experience I have gained, has come about by working alongside a variety of different people and practices; architects, engineers, programmers and artists, often all working together on the same project. This interaction with others has allowed me to learn and gain insight from differing perspectives.”