Hampstead Heath
Ben Raz
Hampstead Heath (the subject of which hints at an illicit and sequestered activity) depicts a view from the top of a hill. The painting has the quality of a glimpse; something peripheral that catches one’s eye and hints at a recognised form, yet remains ambiguous and difficult to pin down. Figures are hidden away within the painting, in the dark spaces of the painting. There is a sense of a subject being part of (or perhaps viewing) this scene, whilst that same space simultaneously remains detached. The closer one gets to the image, the more the scene unfolds. The work was made in regard to themes of ambivalence, ambiguity, intimacy and queerness; these themes were reinforced by a menagerie of images and information. Through the image’s ambiguity, the painting hints at something hidden or below the surface.
My paintings synthesise varied interests, aesthetics, imaginings and memories. I aim to create a specific atmosphere within each image that I make. More specifically, the work is made in regard to themes of desire, apathy, ambivalence and intimacy. These themes are reinforced by a menagerie of disparate images and information.
Through their ambiguity, the paintings hint at something hidden or below the surface. In this sense, many of the paintings anchor themselves in their lack of clarity. Contradiction lies in the viewer’s experience of the imagery: they are paintings that exemplify an image’s power to concurrently convey and withhold information.
Ben Raz
Instagram: @benr.az