Ben Darrah
BIO
Darrah is a Kingston-based artist. He was born in London, England, and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1968. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta and graduated with a BFA from the University of Alberta in 1987 and earned a Master of Fine Art at the University of Windsor in 1995.
Besides maintaining a visual art practice with an exhibition record that now spans nearly 4 decades, Darrah has worked as an art dealer, curator, freelance writer, Arts Council Project Manager, and taught art at Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, and White Mountain Academy. He is currently an elementary teacher with the Limestone District School Board and maintains a studio in Glenburnie, Ontario. His work can be found in private and public collections in North America and Europe.
Artist Statement
A recurring theme in my work is the use of found imagery of flora and fauna (and the tools we use to engage with our environment - such as Canadian Tire coolers, Tim Horton’s cups, and folding camp chairs) in combination with painted abstract grounds to suggest narratives about (Canadian) identity, environment and sense of place. By placing these images in a painting, in combination with evocative grounds, I am scrutinizing possible meanings and aesthetic qualities. I am also using them as stand-ins for a larger conversation.
My paintings involve a layering of imagery and colour, which create multiple planes of both illusionistic vistas and a flattened, surface space. This space is affected by my use of graffiti techniques, which I started exploring in the 1980’s. I was attracted by the casual immediacy of the graffiti mark and the expressively worn patina of the walls that provide the substrate for graffiti artists. To echo this surface I apply thin layers of paint mixed with acrylic gel, which is masked off with imperfect registration so that there is the ghost record of previous layers.
I was interested in the premise of this exhibition – using mostly white. I like the idea of working within the constraints of a limited palette, and exploring ways of breaking the rules – or testing the limits of the rules. I also feel my process of layering and having some elements that are immediately apparent while others are revealed after long looks and in changing light situations aligned nicely with the theme.
