Benjamin Salley is a painter whose work merges traditional craftsmanship with contemporary explorations of the human form. Working primarily in oil on hand-crafted panels, Benjamin builds surfaces that are both meticulously constructed and deeply intimate. Each panel is prepared using non-toxic materials, with many paints and painting mediums custom-made, underscoring a commitment to both process and material integrity.

Rooted in realism, Benjamin paintings often depict expanses of human skin rendered in precise detail, enveloping entire surfaces and transforming the body into both subject and landscape. Recently, sculptural elements have become integral to the work, further blurring the boundary between surface and structure.

This current body of work marks a decisive evolution in Benjamin’s practice, prompted by a profound personal experience with severe illness. This pivotal moment led to a complete reassessment of artistic focus, turning inward to investigate the human body not only as an exterior form but as an intricate interior world—fragmented, reconstructed, and reimagined.

Through this synthesis of painting and sculpture, Benjamin invites viewers to consider the complexity, vulnerability, and resilience of the human form in new ways.

Benjamin was born in 1977 and currently lives and works in Kentucky.

Email Contact : benjaminsalleypainting {at} gmail {dot} com

Shows

• Everything Will Be Better Tomorrow, 21C Elevate, 2025