Teddy Benfield: My Still Life

Teddy Benfield's work explores the blurred boundaries between public and private, nostalgia and immediacy, and tradition and transformation. His compositions reflect a post-pandemic consciousness, where interiority serves as both a physical and psychological space. Through still-life arrangements and domestic artifacts, these images prompt viewers to reflect on their own environments, what they reveal, conceal, and how they've changed. 

Utilizing hybrid media and blending painting, screen printing, and photography, Benfield highlights the constructed nature of our spaces and memories. This exhibition invites audiences to engage with these themes and consider how personal and cultural narratives shape the spaces we inhabit. 

"Teddy Benfield's work challenges us to rethink our familiar surroundings and spaces that have gained new meanings post-pandemic. Through his layered media and symbolism, he offers insight into the tension between solitude and connection. This exhibition encourages reflection on how our environments affect identity and memory."  

— Karla Reyes, Curator of the Exhibition 

The inspiration behind this body of work arises from the blurred boundaries that individuals create within their environments during and after the pandemic. The interplay between interior and exterior spaces illustrates the dichotomy between work and home and the differentiation between indoor and outdoor realms. This work prompts reflection on the relationships individuals maintain with others and themselves. I aim for viewers to experience a sense of nostalgia and familiarity with the spaces depicted on canvas while also inviting them to critically examine the personal spaces they have nurtured. 

This exploration investigates the perceptions of both interior and exterior environments and the human connection to these settings, particularly during periods of social distancing. In a post-pandemic society, I continue to engage with traditional still-life imagery while introducing elements that challenge the viewer's understanding of personal space. The blurred lines distinguishing indoor and outdoor settings serve as a thematic foundation for this series. As one emotion enters, another departs, creating a sense of distortion within the place. This ambiguous context intends to serve as a launching point for conceptualizing a new type of space, a fusion of interiors and exteriors. 

This middle ground indicates life in a post-pandemic context, characterized by remote work, urban gardening, and virtual interactions. It is within this intersection of personal space that new meanings emerge. Elements such as flora, houseplants, lightbulbs, insects, lawn chairs, music, and sports feature prominently in this work, anchoring each image to its respective surroundings and encouraging viewers to interrogate their own definitions of personal space, regardless of its location. 

https://www.teddybenfield.com

https://abigailogilvy.com/artists/33-teddy-benfield/

@teddybenfield (Instagram)

@abigailogilvygallery (Instagram)

Image Credits:

Untitled (Grow Light 5). Black gesso, acrylic paint, oil pastel, china marker, spray paint on canvas. 57" x 51".

Untitled (Love Seat). Mixed media on canvas. 60" x 48".