Benjamin Senior
Born 1982 / UK
Lives and works in London / UK
“At the start I approach my work as a social realist – walking the streets, making daily observations of multicultural London. However once work is underway I approach the painting as a formalist, constructing the painting to achieve an abstract unity. Could this be called Social Formalism? I’m drawn to commonplace scenes that we might pass through on autopilot. By painting it, I’m interested in finding the abstract and unfamiliar beauty of that scene. After the viewer has seen my painting, I hope their vision of the world is coloured by it.”
Painted using the early Renaissance technique, egg tempera, the image is gradually built up over dozens of thin layers. Over time the colours are carefully tuned; figures and elements are painted, repainted, revised and swapped out until all the elements synergise with one another. It’s like solving a puzzle, sometimes taking weeks or months before all the pieces fit into place. The result is a highly choreographed frozen moment. Tempera painting brings a hard-edged stillness to the image, which I seek to counter by introducing optical tensions such as repetition (rows of mannequins), patterns and shifts of scale (background posters).
Selected Works
Benjamin Senior
Waves (2025)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
50 x 50 cm (19.5 x 19.5 in)
Waves (2025)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
50 x 50 cm (19.5 x 19.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Waves (2025)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
50 x 50 cm (19.5 x 19.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
South End (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
60 x 50 cm (23.5 x 19.5 in)
South End (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
60 x 50 cm (23.5 x 19.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
South End (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
60 x 50 cm (23.5 x 19.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Dry (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
60 x 50 cm (23.5 x 19.5 in)
Dry (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
60 x 50 cm (23.5 x 19.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Dry (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
60 x 50 cm (23.5 x 19.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Sari (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Sari (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Sari (2023)
Egg tempera on cotton on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Anemones (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in)
Anemones (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in)
Benjamin Senior
Anemones (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in)
Benjamin Senior
Kiss (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Kiss (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Kiss (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Jerk Shop (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Jerk Shop (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Jerk Shop (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shelter (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
80 x 100 cm (31.5 x 39.5 in)
Shelter (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
80 x 100 cm (31.5 x 39.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shelter (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
80 x 100 cm (31.5 x 39.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Rings IV (Autumn) (2014)
Egg tempera on linen on plywood
60 x 40 cm (23.62 x 15.75 in)
Rings IV (Autumn) (2014)
Egg tempera on linen on plywood
60 x 40 cm (23.62 x 15.75 in)
Benjamin Senior
Rings IV (Autumn) (2014)
Egg tempera on linen on plywood
60 x 40 cm (23.62 x 15.75 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shade (2019)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 50 cm (15.75 x 19.69 in)
Shade (2019)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 50 cm (15.75 x 19.69 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shade (2019)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 50 cm (15.75 x 19.69 in)
Benjamin Senior
Flower Market (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 60 cm (15.75 x 23.62 in)
Flower Market (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 60 cm (15.75 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
Flower Market (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 60 cm (15.75 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
At The Lido (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
70 x 100 cm (27 1/2 x 39 1/2 in)
At The Lido (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
70 x 100 cm (27 1/2 x 39 1/2 in)
Benjamin Senior
At The Lido (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
70 x 100 cm (27 1/2 x 39 1/2 in)
Benjamin Senior
Orchids (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.50 x 23.62 in)
Orchids (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.50 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
Orchids (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.50 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
The Grocery Stall (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 30 cm (15.75 x 11.81 in)
The Grocery Stall (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 30 cm (15.75 x 11.81 in)
Benjamin Senior
The Grocery Stall (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 30 cm (15.75 x 11.81 in)
Benjamin Senior
Mannequins (2022)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.5 in)
Mannequins (2022)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Mannequins (2022)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Jerk Shop (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Jerk Shop (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Jerk Shop (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shelter (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
80 x 100 cm (31.5 x 39.5 in)
Shelter (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
80 x 100 cm (31.5 x 39.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shelter (2023)
Egg tempera on wood panel
80 x 100 cm (31.5 x 39.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Rings IV (Autumn) (2014)
Egg tempera on linen on plywood
60 x 40 cm (23.62 x 15.75 in)
Rings IV (Autumn) (2014)
Egg tempera on linen on plywood
60 x 40 cm (23.62 x 15.75 in)
Benjamin Senior
Rings IV (Autumn) (2014)
Egg tempera on linen on plywood
60 x 40 cm (23.62 x 15.75 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shade (2019)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 50 cm (15.75 x 19.69 in)
Shade (2019)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 50 cm (15.75 x 19.69 in)
Benjamin Senior
Shade (2019)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 50 cm (15.75 x 19.69 in)
Benjamin Senior
Flower Market (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 60 cm (15.75 x 23.62 in)
Flower Market (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 60 cm (15.75 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
Flower Market (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 60 cm (15.75 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
At The Lido (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
70 x 100 cm (27 1/2 x 39 1/2 in)
At The Lido (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
70 x 100 cm (27 1/2 x 39 1/2 in)
Benjamin Senior
At The Lido (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
70 x 100 cm (27 1/2 x 39 1/2 in)
Benjamin Senior
Orchids (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.50 x 23.62 in)
Orchids (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.50 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
Orchids (2020)
Egg tempera and cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.50 x 23.62 in)
Benjamin Senior
The Grocery Stall (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 30 cm (15.75 x 11.81 in)
The Grocery Stall (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 30 cm (15.75 x 11.81 in)
Benjamin Senior
The Grocery Stall (2020)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
40 x 30 cm (15.75 x 11.81 in)
Benjamin Senior
Mannequins (2022)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.5 in)
Mannequins (2022)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.5 in)
Benjamin Senior
Mannequins (2022)
Egg tempera on cotton on plywood
80 x 60 cm (31.5 x 23.5 in)
Exhibitions
Minor Streets
16th September – 12th November 2023
Curated by Russell Tovey
5th June – 5th September 2021
Selected Press
J. J. Charlesworth
Benjamin Senior Minor Streets
Art Review / November 2023
Skye Sherwin
Benjamin Senior’s Portals: a day of carefree youth
The Guardian / January 2020
Amy Sherlock
Benjamin Senior at Bruce Haines
Frieze / October 2016
Maisie Skidmore
Benjamin Senior’s Geometric Portrayal of Olympic Swimmers
AnOther / August 2016
J. J. Charlesworth
Future Greats
ArtReview / October 2015