Mediterranean Art Holidays - Benjamin loved the Greek Islands; he had rather accidentally participated as an assistant instructor on a Art Holiday in 1979 to the small remote Greek Island of Paxos, organised by Ron Ransom, a keen, traditional artist/entrepreneur. On the last evening when the group were sitting at a restaurant on the harbour front, when a large luxury yacht arrived, tied up and lowered a walkway. Eventually the comedian Peter Sellers and his wife disembarked with the intention of dinning at one of the many restaurant. A waiter rushed out and placed a table and chairs for the couple, who sat down and started taking photos of each other. Ransome quickly recognised the actor, and approached eagerly to invite him to view the group’s exhibition nearby. Sellers graciously followed him, looked briefly at the show, but did not buy anything. He returned to quickly eat dinner with his wife, then rapidly disappeared back on board the yacht. The walkway was taken up, and they sailed away… an event that could easily have been a scene in a comedy film.
This odd adventure planted the idea in Benjamin’s active imagination of possibly doing something similar on the larger island of Corfu, which would be easier to access from the UK, and where he could set the agenda in a more contemporary manner. Robert Renack, of Art for Industry, was enthusiastic and dove in with keen practical assistance. They did some research, drew up a programme and budget, and produced a skilfully printed, two fold, three colour brochure, featuring a slightly menacing, but friendly Minotaur, appropriately carrying a painter’s palette and brush…
Fortunately the trip went very well for the lucky clients who produced some rather nice art, but needless to say the arrangements were much more complicated and time consuming, than the organisers anticipated, and not surprisingly the costs were higher budgeted for. So Benjamin returned to the UK with bills to pay and not a penny of profit. He enjoyed the trip and met some lovely people, but unfortunately it did not dampen his spirit or his enthusiasm for ‘Projects’, but having cleared his studio of the bulky parfanailia of print publication, he had stretched some large canvases, purchased a full range of new Lascaux Acrylics and turned his attention back to Painting … but along came the enterprising Robert Renack with an unusual, but intriguing proposition of producing an art installation for a new super size, luxury cruise ship being built for the P&O Line.
A Cruise Liner Commission - the ‘Royal Princess’ The 31. 7.1984 P&O press release stated, the- “new $150m, 45,000 ton cruise ship Royal Princess, due to be delivered from the Wartsila Shipyard, Helsinki,at the end of 1984 ... The Princess of Wales has indicated that she hopes to name the ship in Southampton in mid-November… Royal Princess will sail for Miami on 19 November, and will be operated out of Los Angeles by P&O’s subsidiary company Princes Cruises Inc. on voyages to Alaska, Mexico or the Caribbean.” … ” An interesting aspect of the Royal Princess furnishings is the artwork. Each piece is an original item especially commissioned for the ship. The brief did not constrain the appointed artists- they were chosen because their style was sympathetic to the brief itself. From then on they joined in the process of developing the programme by presenting items on imagery. The extent of the project was vast. Each item was considered quite separately and emerged to meet the particular requirements of the space in which it would appear. The collection is valued at around $400,00…glass and gesso murals in the International Lounge by Anthony Benjamin.”
QUOTE FROM?
Norwegian Architect, Njal Eide in charge of the P&O project liked Benjamin’s approach to the project and gave him the Card Room to decorate as well, which really delighted him, as he already had an interest in the familiar images of playing cards- the King, Queen and Jack in the four houses, black spades, and clubs, red hearts and diamonds, and the wild, free Joker. He had taken part in the ‘Artist’s Deck of Cards’ project devised by Andrew Jones in 1976, with his image of the four of spades, using a wide variety of graphic techniques, including frottage…this was a great opportunity to take it all further.
INSERT PHOTO AB WITH EIDE and CARD ROOM IMAGES ( more available if wanted)
David Case at Christie’s Contemporary Art was very enthusiastic about this project and arranged for Benjamin to have a comprehensive exhibition of sculpture, graphics, and preparatory work for the P&O commision at Galerie AEblgaarden, (Christie’s Danish agents) near Copenhagen in March,1985.
INSERT PHOTOS OF THE GALERIE AEBLGAARDEN BROCHURE
More Cruise Ships - The well-managed P&O project was finished in time and everyone was pleased with the results. Benjamin was well paid, and he had a great time on the ‘shakedown cruise’, so when another similar project turned up for a new ship the - Sovereign of the Seas, in the Royal Caribbean Line, he readily accepted the commission for the decor of the main lounge, even though he had just started getting into his own work again. However, this time the theme for the decor was more specific … it was ‘The Music Man’, a popular 1962 film of an American musical that Benjamin was not familiar with. Viewing it on video was a bit of a shock for him as it was not the sort of entertainment he liked much, but the final big number - ‘Seventy-six Trombones’ gave him something to focus on as he liked the refined geometric shapes of the brass instruments, and the feeling of celebration the film finished with, as well as the opportunity to make a couple of tapestries with Philip Geraghty, and Perspex relief sculptures with Nancy’s technical help.
to
INSERT PHOTOS OF WORKING ON ‘THE MUSIC MAN’
The ship was built in in France at St.Nazaire, and again it all went well and looked good. The Evening Standard Travel page commented on the launch; headline, 8. 2.1988 - “Monsters of the deep…The world’s largest cruise liner, Sovereign of the Seas…She is larger than the QE2 and as tall as the Statue of Liberty. It took twice as much steel to build her as went into the Eiffel Tower…” but the project management was not quite as smooth as it had been on the Royal Princess, and it was a wild rush to get the artwork delivered on time. This was not an unusual situation for Benjamin as he tended to assume that everything would proceed as intended, no hangups or delays were ever expected; he also had faith in his ability to charm, coerce, or gently bully anyone he knew with useful skills, when time was short and he needed help.
Time had started running out before the contract for the second Royal Caribbean Liner, Majesty of the Seas, had arrived and the theme was even more challenging than The Music Man… it was the 1985 musical - ‘ Chorus Line’, but it came with the proviso that the design should not be ‘too sexy’. A scale model was required immediately and the budget was tighter, so no engraved glass murals, but however unlikely the project seemed, Benjamin watched a video and came up with designs that looked okay; Nancy made a model they sent off to company headquarters in Florida, but they heard nothing until a couple of months later when they were engaged in the process of moving more permanently to Norfolk.
Fortunately there was another delay in the commissioning and by the time they had the go-ahead, Benjamin had rented a large well converted barn at Lowes Farm, near Kelling, where they had moved to. As time was short he needed more help than Nancy could provide, so he contacted an old friend, an artist/one time signwriter, he knew from his time at the Beaux Arts Gallery, Derrick Greaves, who lived a a drivable few miles away, and a new friend, Eric Smee, a photographer/ artistic jack of all trades, who lived in the cottage adjacent to Benjamin’s Cottage, to join them on the project.
INSERT PHOTOS OF AB, DERRICK, & ERIC WORKING ON ‘CHORUS LINE ‘
There was a good atmosphere in the new Lowes Farm studio and everyone worked hard, but the impending deadline was stressful and Benjamin was struck down by flu that left him wasted. Then some free standing units made in Southhampton did not arrive on time, because the delivery driver could not find the studio in the rural area and did not think to ask anyone, and took them back to Southhampton. However there were delays elsewhere and the completion time was extended sufficiently to finish well enough…but enough was enough, and that was the last Cruise Ship Commission for him, but not the end of his addiction to projects.The worst was still to come.
INSERT PHOTO OF INTAGLIO PROJECT BROCHURE (?) line engraving by Derick Greaves
“ THE INTAGLIO PROJECT - A European Initiative with Norwich Castle Museum” - started circa1992 … when it was finally put to sleep, circa 1996, the person who mercifully pulled the funding plug, said something to the effect that… he had never come across such a good idea, unnecessarily bogged down by so much complication and red tape… and he was right. Although it had been Benjamin, who launched the idea, he was quietly relieved that it was finally finished, over and done with, after at least four years of reports and meeting at the Castle, and more reports and meetings at the Lowes Farm Studio. They were getting paid for their time, but Benjamin was on his own time… and he usually provided the drinks and snacks, and sometimes lunch as well.
The October 1994 Project Proposal stated in the “1.0 Introduction- This project proposes the setting up of a Fine Art Etching and Aquatint Intaglio Studio in Norfolk, UK in partnership with the Norwich Castle Museum. Master printers and platemakers will be recruited to work with leading European and East Anglian artist to produce high quality Limited Edition Fine Art prints. The project will create a unique collection of Modern Art … reflecting the cultural climate following the inauguration of the European Community single market. The collection will be of lasting benefit to the visiting public and the Permanent Collections of the Norwich Castle Museum and its European partners, whilt expanding the historically close ties between East Anglia and Europe by encouraging regional exchanges of artists and exhibitions.” concluding rather optimistically - “ It is anticipated that the project will be self -financing in the medium term.”
Every one seemed enthusiastic, particularly when generous Lottery Funding was granted not once, but twice. Benjamin had a good relationship with the Director, Andrew Moore and others at the Castle, as well as contacts with local, and European artists, and major cultural organisations in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and elsewhere, who were seriously interested in participating. It could have worked, but issues with the overly complicated details of accessibility, health and safety etc., piled up and wasted time… especially when the Castle added an Educational element to the proposal in order to seek more funding from other sources. This quadrupled the Red Tape; the project was taking too long and costing too much. Nothing but papers and reports had been produced, no Art…so that was that ! One positive outcome - it was the last big Project Benjamin was involved in; he was quietly relieved to be out of it and straight off, he turned his full focus back to his own Artwork!
I
ess
As usual Benjamin was involved in other projects at the same time; he was working with another very skillful technician, Brad Faine at Coriander Press producing limited edition silk screen prints published in pairs by Christie’s Contemporary Art. The first - ‘Red Parallax’ and ‘Blue Parallax’ were vibrantly coloured irregular geometric forms floating above parallel lines that rushed into a distant suggestion of clouds.. The prints were a great success and the editions fairly flew out of Christie’s Gallery.
INSERT THE ‘PARALLAX’ IMAGES HERE…
bl
The prints looked fresh and energetic and Christie’s sales were very satisfactory. They commissioned further editions of larger images were irregular pyramids hovering over a converging perspective headed to some energetic rainbows springing out of the horizon. There was something optimistic and positive about the images that provoked a feeling of calm, that pleased both corporate, and private customers.
INSERT THE ‘RED MIRAGE’ AND ‘MANDRAKE’ IMAGES HERE
Benjamin had a good relationship with David Case, head of fine art publishing at Christie’s; he arranged an exhibition of Benjamin’s artwork relevant to the P&O “Royal Princess” commission at the Galerie Æblegaarden, in Holte, near Copenhagen. Benjamin was delighted to go to Denmark to the private view .
INSERT PHOTO OF THE CATALOGUE WITH THE SHOT OF THE P&O LINER LOUNGE WITH AB MURALS
Benjamin continued to work with Brad Faine and they produced a spectacular Screenprint triptych titled - Canton I, II & III. each print 1m x 80cm. The three prints work well as individual pieces, and dynamically when hung together in close proximity, leading the viewer off in a suggestion of spacial infinity with glimpses of partial rainbows, and subtly blended blue skies that contrast vibrantly with the warmth of the glowing red/orange background colour.
“Canton I, Canton II, Canton III, Screenprints 80cm x 100cm. Limited edition of 45 sets plus AP’s - printed by Brad Faine at Coriander Studios, London, 1987
DO WE NEED THIS???
1979-89 Mediterranean Excursion 1979-89 Mediterranean Excursion
may be able to delete
THE MEDITERRANEAN OPEN STUDIO 1981 add photo of brochure
In the the spring of 1979 Benjamin had been employed as a last minute replacement for an assistant teacher on a week-long, art holiday excursion to a Greek Island called Paxos organised by an artist/ entrepreneur, named Ronald Ransome. It was not Benjamin’s kind of art, but he was a good teacher of any kind of art, including the traditional watercolour landscapes most of the folk in the group wanted to paint. He and Nancy got their transport and accommodation as payment and it had been fun, particularly the half day voyage from Corfu on an ancient steamboat to the small Island. So when back in the UK at the Graffiti Gallery in cahoots with Robert Renak( Art for Industry) they decided to have a go at something similar that might appeal to the more sophisticated artist/travellers. They did a bit of research, wrote the copy and Benjamin designed an interesting brochure that attracted just enough would-be-artists to make the project viable… maybe? When the time came off they went to Corfu and fortunately it worked well enough, but they had underestimated almost everything and returned to the UK, exhausted, with empty pockets and some bills to pay, so although it had been an interesting experience, they did not repeat it. However it was not the first time, or the last, that a time devouring project would take Benjamin over. The Liverpool Road Association of which Benjamin was the President was the next good cause, and it was even greedier than the - Save Cabbagetown had been in Toronto, but at least, back then in the early 1970s John Sewell, eventually the Mayor of Toronto, had been at the head of the movement. Unfortunately Benjamin had too much appetite for other activities, and sometimes became involved in complicated projects that overwhelmed him, ate up his time and diverted his energy from making art.
Graffiti Svenska - Hedman was well over six feet tall, and not in the least shy, or apologetic about turning up unexpectedly and out -of-hours in the gallery…nor were the busy gallerists surprised to see him standing in the doorway grinning, as gallery hours were always very flexible. Hedman cheerfully introduced himself as a commercial photographer who had spent several years working in California, and recently returned to live in Sweden again. He accepted a large glass of Valpolicella and started looking intently at the work on the walls, while Benjamin explained the complex techniques involved in making and printing the work. The big Swede seemed absolutely fascinated and asked lots of questions, then explained that he worked with NKR, a major producer of office installations in Sweden … everything, including the design, construction, furnishings and equipment, as well as the framed art for the walls. So they all sat down and drank some more wine, and the gallery did not put the lights out and lock up until after 2 AM …then on June 3rd,1979, Graffiti Svenska ( in Hjo, nearJönköping in the south of Sweden) opened with an substantial exhibition of Anthony Benjamin’s limited edition prints… and on June 6th,1980, almost exactly a year later, another similar exhibition opened at Galleri Graffiti in Oslo. Lars Hedman was a man of action and fun, as well as a professional photographer.
INSERT 1, OR 2, NKR OFFICE PHOTOS WITH AB PRINTS ON THE WALL
In the early 1980s they became involved in - ‘Contemporary Arab Graphics’ and had a series of successful group and solo exhibitions by Arabic artists, mainly from Iraq, Egypt, Algeria and Syria, that expanded and reinforced both Benjamin’s and Nancy’s interest in Arabic culture and music. A leading artist, Suad Al- Attar had several very successful solo shows at Graffiti, also made some exquisite etchings at Clarendon Graphics, and became a close friend with Nancy.
INSERT PHOTO OF ARAB GRAPHICS BROCHURES
Mediterranean Art Holidays - Benjamin loved the Greek Islands; he had rather accidentally participated as an assistant instructor on a Art Holiday in 1979 to the small remote Greek Island of Paxos, organised by Ron Ransom, a keen, traditional artist/entrepreneur. On the last evening when the group were sitting at a restaurant on the harbour front, when a large luxury yacht arrived, tied up and lowered a walkway. Eventually the comedian Peter Sellers and his wife disembarked with the intention of dinning at one of the many restaurant. A waiter rushed out and placed a table and chairs for the couple, who sat down and started taking photos of each other. Ransome quickly recognised the actor, and approached eagerly to invite him to view the group’s exhibition nearby. Sellers graciously followed him, looked briefly at the show, but did not buy anything. He returned to quickly eat dinner with his wife, then rapidly disappeared back on board the yacht. The walkway was taken up, and they sailed away… an event that could easily have been a scene in a comedy film.
INSERT PHOTO OF PAXOS HARBOUR ?
This odd adventure planted the idea in Benjamin’s active imagination of possibly doing something similar on the larger island of Corfu, which would be easier to access from the UK, and where he could set the agenda in a more contemporary manner. Robert Renack, of Art for Industry, was enthusiastic and dove in with keen practical assistance. They did some research, drew up a programme and budget, and produced a skilfully printed, two fold, three colour brochure, featuring a slightly menacing, but friendly Minotaur, appropriately carrying a painter’s palette and brush…
INSERT PHOTO OF THE MED. ART HOLIDAY BROCHURE HERE
Fortunately the trip went very well for the lucky clients who produced some rather nice art, but needless to say the arrangements were much more complicated and time consuming, than the organisers anticipated, and not surprisingly the costs were higher budgeted for. So Benjamin returned to the UK with bills to pay and not a penny of profit. He enjoyed the trip and met some lovely people, but unfortunately it did not dampen his spirit or his enthusiasm for ‘Projects’, but having cleared his studio of the bulky parfanailia of print publication, he had stretched some large canvases, purchased a full range of new Lascaux Acrylics and turned his attention back to Painting … but along came the enterprising Robert Renack with an unusual, but intriguing proposition of producing an art installation for a new super size, luxury cruise ship being built for the P&O Line.
INSERT P&O HEADING
A Cruise Liner Commission - the ‘Royal Princess’ The 31. 7.1984 P&O press release stated, the- “new $150m, 45,000 ton cruise ship Royal Princess, due to be delivered from the Wartsila Shipyard, Helsinki,at the end of 1984 ... The Princess of Wales has indicated that she hopes to name the ship in Southampton in mid-November… Royal Princess will sail for Miami on 19 November, and will be operated out of Los Angeles by P&O’s subsidiary company Princes Cruises Inc. on voyages to Alaska, Mexico or the Caribbean.” … ” An interesting aspect of the Royal Princess furnishings is the artwork. Each piece is an original item especially commissioned for the ship. The brief did not constrain the appointed artists- they were chosen because their style was sympathetic to the brief itself. From then on they joined in the process of developing the programme by presenting items on imagery. The extent of the project was vast. Each item was considered quite separately and emerged to meet the particular requirements of the space in which it would appear. The collection is valued at around $400,00…glass and gesso murals in the International Lounge by Anthony Benjamin.”
INSERT PHOTO OF AB WITH GLASS ENGRAVING TECHNICIAN
Norwegian Architect, Njal Eide in charge of the P&O project liked Benjamin’s approach to the project and gave him the Card Room to decorate as well, which really delighted him, as he already had an interest in the familiar images of playing cards- the King, Queen and Jack in the four houses, black spades, and clubs, red hearts and diamonds, and the wild, free Joker. He had taken part in the ‘Artist’s Deck of Cards’ project devised by Andrew Jones in 1976, with his image of the four of spades, using a wide variety of graphic techniques, including frottage…this was a great opportunity to take it all further.
INSERT PHOTO AB WITH EIDE and CARD ROOM IMAGES ( more available if wanted)
David Case at Christie’s Contemporary Art was very enthusiastic about this project and arranged for Benjamin to have a comprehensive exhibition of sculpture, graphics, and preparatory work for the P&O commision at Galerie AEblgaarden, (Christie’s Danish agents) near Copenhagen in March,1985.
INSERT PHOTOS OF THE GALERIE AEBLGAARDEN BROCHURE
More Cruise Ships - The well-managed P&O project was finished in time and everyone was pleased with the results. Benjamin was well paid, and he had a great time on the ‘shakedown cruise’, so when another similar project turned up for a new ship the - Sovereign of the Seas, in the Royal Caribbean Line, he readily accepted the commission for the decor of the main lounge, even though he had just started getting into his own work again. However, this time the theme for the decor was more specific … it was ‘The Music Man’, a popular 1962 film of an American musical that Benjamin was not familiar with. Viewing it on video was a bit of a shock for him as it was not the sort of entertainment he liked much, but the final big number - ‘Seventy-six Trombones’ gave him something to focus on as he liked the refined geometric shapes of the brass instruments, and the feeling of celebration the film finished with, as well as the opportunity to make a couple of tapestries with Philip Geraghty, and Perspex relief sculptures with Nancy’s technical help.
to
INSERT PHOTOS OF WORKING ON ‘THE MUSIC MAN’
The ship was built in in France at St.Nazaire, and again it all went well and looked good. The Evening Standard Travel page commented on the launch; headline, 8. 2.1988 - “Monsters of the deep…The world’s largest cruise liner, Sovereign of the Seas…She is larger than the QE2 and as tall as the Statue of Liberty. It took twice as much steel to build her as went into the Eiffel Tower…” but the project management was not quite as smooth as it had been on the Royal Princess, and it was a wild rush to get the artwork delivered on time. This was not an unusual situation for Benjamin as he tended to assume that everything would proceed as intended, no hangups or delays were ever expected; he also had faith in his ability to charm, coerce, or gently bully anyone he knew with useful skills, when time was short and he needed help.
Time had started running out before the contract for the second Royal Caribbean Liner, Majesty of the Seas, had arrived and the theme was even more challenging than The Music Man… it was the 1985 musical - ‘ Chorus Line’, but it came with the proviso that the design should not be ‘too sexy’. A scale model was required immediately and the budget was tighter, so no engraved glass murals, but however unlikely the project seemed, Benjamin watched a video and came up with designs that looked okay; Nancy made a model they sent off to company headquarters in Florida, but they heard nothing until a couple of months later when they were engaged in the process of moving more permanently to Norfolk.
Fortunately there was another delay in the commissioning and by the time they had the go-ahead, Benjamin had rented a large well converted barn at Lowes Farm, near Kelling, where they had moved to. As time was short he needed more help than Nancy could provide, so he contacted an old friend, an artist/one time signwriter, he knew from his time at the Beaux Arts Gallery, Derrick Greaves, who lived a a drivable few miles away, and a new friend, Eric Smee, a photographer/ artistic jack of all trades, who lived in the cottage adjacent to Benjamin’s Cottage, to join them on the project.
INSERT PHOTOS OF AB, DERRICK, & ERIC WORKING ON ‘CHORUS LINE ‘
There was a good atmosphere in the new Lowes Farm studio and everyone worked hard, but the impending deadline was stressful and Benjamin was struck down by flu that left him wasted. Then some free standing units made in Southhampton did not arrive on time, because the delivery driver could not find the studio in the rural area and did not think to ask anyone, and took them back to Southhampton. However there were delays elsewhere and the completion time was extended sufficiently to finish well enough…but enough was enough, and that was the last Cruise Ship Commission for him, but not the end of his addiction to projects.The worst was still to come.
INSERT PHOTO OF INTAGLIO PROJECT BROCHURE (?) line engraving by Derick Greaves
“ THE INTAGLIO PROJECT - A European Initiative with Norwich Castle Museum” - started circa1992 … when it was finally put to sleep, circa 1996, the person who mercifully pulled the funding plug, said something to the effect that… he had never come across such a good idea, unnecessarily bogged down by so much complication and red tape… and he was right. Although it had been Benjamin, who launched the idea, he was quietly relieved that it was finally finished, over and done with, after at least four years of reports and meeting at the Castle, and more reports and meetings at the Lowes Farm Studio. They were getting paid for their time, but Benjamin was on his own time… and he usually provided the drinks and snacks, and sometimes lunch as well.
The October 1994 Project Proposal stated in the “1.0 Introduction- This project proposes the setting up of a Fine Art Etching and Aquatint Intaglio Studio in Norfolk, UK in partnership with the Norwich Castle Museum. Master printers and platemakers will be recruited to work with leading European and East Anglian artist to produce high quality Limited Edition Fine Art prints. The project will create a unique collection of Modern Art … reflecting the cultural climate following the inauguration of the European Community single market. The collection will be of lasting benefit to the visiting public and the Permanent Collections of the Norwich Castle Museum and its European partners, whilt expanding the historically close ties between East Anglia and Europe by encouraging regional exchanges of artists and exhibitions.” concluding rather optimistically - “ It is anticipated that the project will be self -financing in the medium term.”
Every one seemed enthusiastic, particularly when generous Lottery Funding was granted not once, but twice. Benjamin had a good relationship with the Director, Andrew Moore and others at the Castle, as well as contacts with local, and European artists, and major cultural organisations in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and elsewhere, who were seriously interested in participating. It could have worked, but issues with the overly complicated details of accessibility, health and safety etc., piled up and wasted time… especially when the Castle added an Educational element to the proposal in order to seek more funding from other sources. This quadrupled the Red Tape; the project was taking too long and costing too much. Nothing but papers and reports had been produced, no Art…so that was that ! One positive outcome - it was the last big Project Benjamin was involved in; he was quietly relieved to be out of it and straight off, he turned his full focus back to his own Artwork!
I
ess