Five on the First

December 2024
Ben Cowan

“My paintings live at a playful crossroads of object, illusion, and the transcendence of observation and perception. The work presents the mystical concept of a paracosm, a world built inside one’s imagination that is so vivid it becomes real. Inspired by urban landscapes and Gothic architecture, I blend observed places, personal objects, and art historical abstractions to create paintings that play with reality and illusion, personifying the interpersonal and the supernatural.

Each work is meticulously painted on a cast aqua resin surface from an artist made frame and mold. The presentation enshrines, sanctifying mundane objects or re-presenting art historical images that profane. Denying an easy interpretation, the paintings beckon for closer inspection promoting a suspension of understanding that builds a narrative of fluctuating belief in what can be seen.”

CV