HASBROOK GALLERIES

Two Heads

Ben Howe

Oil on Canvas

24 x 36 in

Known for his scientifically-surreal aesthetic, Howe has developed a method of image making that is at once hyper-realistic yet deeply concerned with the poetics of form and symbolism. Using elements of documentation and a great emphasis on the transformative process of making, Howe’s ambiguous paintings are mostly derived from preliminary explorations in other media such as sculpture or sequential footage. Ben’s work investigates the evolving relationship between the body and its surroundings and the imagined spaces that we create. The paintings take the form of hyper-real landscapes, recomposed interiors, deconstructed sculptures and surrealist compositions; informed by intricate miniature dioramas, corrupted sculptures or the re-alignment of geographical locators to reflect an underlying psychology. Ben uses elements of hyper-realism, symbolism and a fluid interpretation of geography to create a poetic and simple imagery which utilizes elements of documentation, sequential footage and sculptural maquettes.