Sophie Benson
Principal Lecturer
Director of Studies & Academic Lead for Education, Department of Art
Sophie Benson is an artist who works with drawing, painting and installation. Her practice investigates representations of real and imagined space and the potential site specificity of drawing in series. Photography is an important element in her work as a source for drawings that work against reality while appearing to create it. Her interest lies in echoes of events manifest in landscape, which arises out of an interest in landscape itself and its hold on the imagination.
Since completing a MFA in Fine Art in 1991, Sophie has been artist residence at the Bemis Foundation, USA, Museum of Modern Art Collioure, France, Artist Unlimited, Bielefeld, Germany and Harewood House, Leeds. Her work is exhibited in one-person shows and selected for national and international group exhibitions. She is currently represented by Long & Ryle, London.
Sophie joined Manchester School of Art as Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2007. She previously held positions of Head of Postgraduate Studies, Fine Art, Newcastle University (2003 – 2007) and Course leader for BA(Hons) Painting & Printmaking, Sheffield Hallam University, (2000 – 2003).
Projects
Selected Group Exhibitions
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS Re Infecta, Five Years, Regent Studios, London. 2011 Winter Landscapes, University Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Details…
Solo Exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITIONS Vanishing Points, Kings Place Gallery, London. 2010 The Space Between, Long & Ryle, London. Details…
Research
Exhibitions
Moloney, D., Quaife, M., O' Reilly, O., Benson, S., Brown, K., Hartshorne, I., Jurack, B., Lansley, J., Lewis, C., Osbaldeston, D., 2015. Under the Shadow of Natural Things, Benzie Building, Manchester School of Art, 2/2/2015.
Benson, S., 2011. Re Infecta, Five Years, Regent Studios, London, 2011.
Webb, J., 2011. Re-Infecta, Five Years Gallery, London, 19/02/11-06/03/11.
Benson, S., 2010. Vanishing Points, Kings Place Gallery, 2010.
Benson, S., 2006. The Space Between, Long & Ryle, London, 2006.
Benson, S., 2006. Winter Landscapes, University Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 2006.
Benson, S., 2003. On Hold, Palagio di Pescia, Italy/ Galeria De Vilar Arvore, Porto, Portugal., 2003.
Benson, S., 2003. Present Perfect, Gallerie Im Heppacher, Esslingen, Germany, 2003.
Benson, S., 2003. Transmission Portfolio, domoBaal contemporary art, London, 2003.
Benson, S., 2002. After Image, Long & Ryle, London, 2002.
Benson, S., 2001. Projecting Back: Restoration, EBC, Manchester.
Benson, S., 2000. Sweetly Sloping Hills, Terrace Gallery, Harewood House, Leeds, 2000.
Benson, S., 1998. Papiers Tues-Mouches, Institut Francais d’Ecosse, Edinburgh, 1998.
Benson, S., 1996. Soundings, Musée d’Art Moderne, Collioure, France., 1996.
Benson, S., 1995. Slow Air, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland, 1995.
Benson, S., 1993. Palpus, A.I.R.Gallery, Bemis Centre for Contemporary Art, Omaha, USA, 1993.
Artefacts
Benson, S., 2017. 'Boundary', Long & Ryle Gallery, London.
Books
Benson, S., Norman, E., 2012. 'Arkive I, Ashes Dance Roses', Edition el C.
Benson, S., Kivland, S. & Sanderson, L., 2003. 'Transmission: Speaking & Listening: The Surface of the Image.', SHU/Site Gallery.
Benson, S., Brough, P., Grebby, A., 2000. 'Sweetly Sloping Hills'.
Benson, S., Usherwood, N., 1999. 'Arkive III, Ashes Dance Roses', Edition el C.
Benson, S., 1999. 'History: The MAG Collection', Kingston Upon Hull City Museums, Art Galleries & Archives.
Benson, S., Matamoros, J., Joppolo, G., 1999. 'Sophie Benson, Soundings - Sondages', Musee d'Art Moderne de Collioure.
Benson, S., Herzog, M., 1998. 'Arkive II, Ashes Dance Roses', Edition el C.
Presentations
Benson, S., 2017. 'The Expectation of the Image, the Surface of the Illusion', University of Porto, Faculty of Fine Arts.