The prevalent mood in Benjamin’s paintings is one of melancholy, or loneliness. We look at a picture postcard view and feel an unexpected twinge of Sehnsucht – to use that untranslatable German word that stands for longing, nostalgia and desire
Born in Melbourne in 1971, Jason Benjamin spent his formative years in the United States and Mexico before returning to Australia in the early 1990s. He pursued art studies at The Stony Brook School and the Pratt Institute in New York City, experiences that profoundly influenced his artistic development .
Benjamin began exhibiting his work in 1989 and quickly gained recognition for his distinctive style. He was a three-time winner of the Mosman Art Prize (1993, 1994, 1996) and received the Kings School Art Prize in 1997. His portrait of actor Bill Hunter earned him the Packing Room Prize at the Archibald Prize in 2005. Over the years, he was a multiple-time finalist in the Archibald Prize, with notable portraits of prominent Australian figures .
His works are held in esteemed public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, and the Parliament House Art Collection . Benjamin's art continues to resonate with audiences, offering a timeless exploration of the human condition through the lens of the Australian landscape.