Bryan Benge

  • August 2026

Bryans practice explores the digital art medium, and his work has drawn upon autobiography, family history, and cultural icons from his past to explore visual memory and re-positioning of the past.

Formative years
Born in Fitzrovia, London, he lived in Haverstock Hill, Hampstead where his parents owned a newsagents. Hampstead was artsy and bohemian in the 1970s. This formed his creativity for art and music. He attended Haverstock School, Chalk Farm. In the1970s, the school was progressive and had exceptional strength in the creative arts.
His love of music led him to be a drummer in the band High Heat, in the North London pub rock scene for 10 years. (Review in Melody Maker).
Bryan used his earnings to pay for life drawing and painting classes at the Camden Arts Centre and was taught by the esteemed painter Sargy Mann. His classes shaped Bryans artistic path as he said, “he was the only tutor I ever had that sat down and painted with us”. This was a pivotal moment for Bryan and inspired him to leave the band to study art. Bryan studied at Chelsea School of Art, Kingston Polytechnic BA (Hons) and Kingston University MA.

Career
Bryan worked for 15 years as a Senior lecturer/Course leader where he managed the Foundation Course at UCA. Visiting Art lecturer at colleges in UK, including Camberwell School of Art & Design. Worked in advertising industry as a set maker, bringing agency storyboards and art sketches to life for Car commercials.

Awards and Exhibitions
Exhibited widely in UK, Europe, USA, Asia.

  • The Discerning Eye ABN AMRO.
  • Young Contemporaries, Royal Academy Bryan exhibited 2 x 9- foot square canvases. 
  • Stanley Picker Travelling Fellowship in Art & Design funded an art -based research project in Norway. 
  • Winner of the Liquitex Excellence in Art Prize, work showcased in New York Gallery. USA. 
  • Full exhibition list see https://bryanbenge.co.uk/

London Group Member
Elected member 1994. Member of the London Group working committee 2000. Elected Honorary Secretary of London Group 1995-2000.
Collect Connect Group Member
Is a fully inclusive art collective. It has a non-conformist ethos, and a Do-It-Yourself attitude, The group organises public art exhibitions in unusual, non-traditional spaces to make art accessible to everyone.

https://bryanbenge.co.uk/
instagram.com/vikingawful
https://collectconnect.blogspot.com/

I-Lay-With-Elekta-While-Dreaming-Of-The-Girl-With-The-Pearl-Earrings-72dpi
Hedge-Wars
The-Day-Of-The-Budgie

Reality +

Uncanny Valley

L’enfer,c’est les autres

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