Benjamin Duke Figurative Paintings

Story Short-story Once upon a time, five women met up at an outdoor café. They sat around the table sipping their coffee and chatting, one caught everyone's attention, because she was dressed up in a metallic suit, complete with robotic wings, resembling a robot bee. The others were impressed by her outfit and asked her about it. She explained that she was a performance artist and was on her way to a show. Another woman pulled out a cigarette and started smoking, ignoring the "no smoking" sign. The others frowned at her, but she just shrugged and continued puffing away. The third woman had a dead bird. She explained that she had found it on her way to the café and had brought it along to see if anyone could identify the species. Just as they were about to order their food, a swarm of bees suddenly descended on the café, buzzing around the tables and chairs. The women panicked, swatting at the bees and ducking for cover wondering why they had worn so many flowers. But then something surprising happened. The woman dressed as a robot bee stood up and raised her arms, and the bees suddenly started swarming around her, as if she were their queen. She calmly led the bees away from the café, and soon they disappeared into the distance. The other women were amazed, and the smoker even stubbed out her cigarette in awe. They all thanked the robot bee woman and chatted excitedly about what had just happened. The time traveler was fascinated by the scene in front of her and watched the women with interest. She noticed the woman with the dead bird and wondered how she had come to possess it. As she continued to observe, she realized that the woman had found the bird on a time-traveling expedition and had accidentally brought it back to the present. As the time traveler watched...

Ben Duke Hysterical Kats oil on canvas 28h x 27w in 71.12h x 68.58w cm BSD037 Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City...

Ben Duke The Gospel oil on canvas 63.50h x 88w in 161.29h x 223.52w cm BSD028 Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of Music and Art, Yale University, New Haven, CT Selected Exhibitions 2023 Ben Duke & Suk Ja Kang: New Work, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2022 This Is Home, Crooked Tree Arts Council, Petosky, MI 2020 Benjamin Duke: Paintings, Vickers Theater, Three Oaks, MI 2019 Family Reunion, Roy G Biv Gallery, Columbus, OH 2018 Wrap It Up, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Portraits and Place: Select Works from Gallery Victor Armendariz, curated by Corporate Art Advisory, Metropolitan Capital Bank, Chicago, IL Liberation, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Distortion, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 The Suburbs Eyes: Picturing the Sprawl, (invitational), Ernestine M Raclin Gallery, Indiana University, South Bend, IN 2014 21 and Counting, The Painting Center, New York City, NY A River Without Banks, Paul Collins Art Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI The Contemporary Figure, Ben Duke and Robert McCann, Moss-Thron Gallery of Art, Fort Hays, KS 2013 Benjamin Swallow Duke and Nathan Barnes, Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, Bozeman, MT Benjamin Swallow Duke and Esther Randall, Rosewood Gallery, Kettering, OH Thresholds, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE 2012 Sublime Rupture, Target Gallery, Catalog with Essay by Dominique Nahas, Alexandria, VA 2011 Identity In Itself, Lapham Gallery, Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Center, Glens Falls, NY Benjamin Duke, Tony Shumsky, Roy G. Biv Gallery, Columbus, OH Upheaval, [traveling solo exhibition] University Art Gallery, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI 2010 Kuandu Museum Residency Show and Open Studio, Kuandu Museum of Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan Biennial Faculty Exhibition, Kresge Art Museum, East Lansing, MI Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Upheaval, [traveling solo exhibition] Cloyde Snook Gallery, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO Floating, Fitton Art Center, Hamilton, OH 2009 Disrupted Particulars, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Clinton Township, MI Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Notwishstanding, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art), 7th Regiment Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY Biennial 25, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN 2008 We Drew a Circle and Called it and Island, Garden City Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan Benjamin Duke and Teresa Dunn, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI Imaginary Cities, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL Awakening, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2007 SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art), 7th Regiment Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach County Convention Center, Ann Nathan Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL Above and Beyond, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Darkness: World and Culture, Caladan Gallery, Beverly, MA Baker Arts Center 10th National Juried Exhibition, Liberal, KS Nude International, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY 2006 Launch: Graduate Thesis Show, Baltimore, MD (solo) Second Chance: Brewer’s Art, Baltimore, MD (solo) Biennial Faculty Exhibition, Kresge Art Museum, East Lansing, MI Academy 2006, Conner Contemporary, Washington, DC. Opening Exhibition, Touchet Gallery, Baltimore, MD Only Human, School 33, Baltimore, MD Go Figure, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD 2005 Emerging Artists, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD real vs. Real, City Café, Baltimore, MD Artscape Art Fair, Baltimore, MD Group Show, Hoffberger Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2004 Clamor, Rose Wagner Center for the Arts, Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Boxing, Fox Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2003 Paintings, Finch Lane Gallery. Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Regional Show, Saint George Art Museum, Saint George, UT Show us Your Stuff, Left Bank Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT Spring Salon, Springville Art Museum, Springville, UT 2002 Trasa Urban Arts, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Seen and Unseen, Union Art Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Professional Experience 2006-present Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 2006-2005 Instructor, Ruriart Community Art Center, Ellicott City, MD 2004-2003 Instructor, Peterson Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT Selected Awards 2015 Alfred and Trafford Klots...

Ben Duke Vicarious Causation oil on canvas 48h x 72w in 121.92h x 182.88w cm BSD030 Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of Music and Art, Yale University, New Haven, CT Selected Exhibitions 2023 Ben Duke & Suk Ja Kang: New Work, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2022 This Is Home, Crooked Tree Arts Council, Petosky, MI 2020 Benjamin Duke: Paintings, Vickers Theater, Three Oaks, MI 2019 Family Reunion, Roy G Biv Gallery, Columbus, OH 2018 Wrap It Up, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Portraits and Place: Select Works from Gallery Victor Armendariz, curated by Corporate Art Advisory, Metropolitan Capital Bank, Chicago, IL Liberation, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Distortion, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 The Suburbs Eyes: Picturing the Sprawl, (invitational), Ernestine M Raclin Gallery, Indiana University, South Bend, IN 2014 21 and Counting, The Painting Center, New York City, NY A River Without Banks, Paul Collins Art Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI The Contemporary Figure, Ben Duke and Robert McCann, Moss-Thron Gallery of Art, Fort Hays, KS 2013 Benjamin Swallow Duke and Nathan Barnes, Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, Bozeman, MT Benjamin Swallow Duke and Esther Randall, Rosewood Gallery, Kettering, OH Thresholds, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE 2012 Sublime Rupture, Target Gallery, Catalog with Essay by Dominique Nahas, Alexandria, VA 2011 Identity In Itself, Lapham Gallery, Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Center, Glens Falls, NY Benjamin Duke, Tony Shumsky, Roy G. Biv Gallery, Columbus, OH Upheaval, [traveling solo exhibition] University Art Gallery, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI 2010 Kuandu Museum Residency Show and Open Studio, Kuandu Museum of Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan Biennial Faculty Exhibition, Kresge Art Museum, East Lansing, MI Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Upheaval, [traveling solo exhibition] Cloyde Snook Gallery, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO Floating, Fitton Art Center, Hamilton, OH 2009 Disrupted Particulars, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Clinton Township, MI Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Notwishstanding, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art), 7th Regiment Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY Biennial 25, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN 2008 We Drew a Circle and Called it and Island, Garden City Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan Benjamin Duke and Teresa Dunn, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI Imaginary Cities, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL Awakening, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2007 SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art), 7th Regiment Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach County Convention Center, Ann Nathan Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL Above and Beyond, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Darkness: World and Culture, Caladan Gallery, Beverly, MA Baker Arts Center 10th National Juried Exhibition, Liberal, KS Nude International, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY 2006 Launch: Graduate Thesis Show, Baltimore, MD (solo) Second Chance: Brewer’s Art, Baltimore, MD (solo) Biennial Faculty Exhibition, Kresge Art Museum, East Lansing, MI Academy 2006, Conner Contemporary, Washington, DC. Opening Exhibition, Touchet Gallery, Baltimore, MD Only Human, School 33, Baltimore, MD Go Figure, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD 2005 Emerging Artists, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD real vs. Real, City Café, Baltimore, MD Artscape Art Fair, Baltimore, MD Group Show, Hoffberger Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2004 Clamor, Rose Wagner Center for the Arts, Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Boxing, Fox Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2003 Paintings, Finch Lane Gallery. Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Regional Show, Saint George Art Museum, Saint George, UT Show us Your Stuff, Left Bank Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT Spring Salon, Springville Art Museum, Springville, UT 2002 Trasa Urban Arts, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Seen and Unseen, Union Art Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Professional Experience 2006-present Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 2006-2005 Instructor, Ruriart Community Art Center, Ellicott City, MD 2004-2003 Instructor, Peterson Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT Selected Awards 2015 Alfred and Trafford Klots...

Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of...

Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of...

Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of...

Ben Duke Looking After People oil on panel 11h x 14w in 27.94h x 35.56w cm BSD021 Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of Music and Art, Yale University, New Haven, CT Selected Exhibitions 2017 Distortion, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 The Suburbs Eyes: Picturing the Sprawl, (invitational), Ernestine M Raclin Gallery, Indiana University, South Bend, IN 2014 21 and Counting, The Painting Center, New York City, NY A River Without Banks, Paul Collins Art Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI The Contemporary Figure, Ben Duke and Robert McCann, Moss-Thron Gallery of Art, Fort Hays, KS 2013 Benjamin Swallow Duke and Nathan Barnes, Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, Bozeman, MT Benjamin Swallow Duke and Esther Randall, Rosewood Gallery, Kettering, OH Thresholds, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE 2012 Sublime Rupture, Target Gallery, Catalog with Essay by Dominique Nahas, Alexandria, VA 2011 Identity In Itself, Lapham Gallery, Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Center, Glens Falls, NY Benjamin Duke, Tony Shumsky, Roy G. Biv Gallery, Columbus, OH Upheaval, [traveling solo exhibition] University Art Gallery, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI 2010 Kuandu Museum Residency Show and Open Studio, Kuandu Museum of Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan Biennial Faculty Exhibition, Kresge Art Museum, East Lansing, MI Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Upheaval, [traveling solo exhibition] Cloyde Snook Gallery, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO Floating, Fitton Art Center, Hamilton, OH 2009 Disrupted Particulars, Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Clinton Township, MI Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Notwishstanding, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art), 7th Regiment Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY Biennial 25, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN 2008 We Drew a Circle and Called it and Island, Garden City Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan Benjamin Duke and Teresa Dunn, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI Imaginary Cities, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL Awakening, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2007 SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art), 7th Regiment Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, New York, NY Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach County Convention Center, Ann Nathan Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL Above and Beyond, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL Darkness: World and Culture, Caladan Gallery, Beverly, MA Baker Arts Center 10th National Juried Exhibition, Liberal, KS Nude International, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY 2006 Launch: Graduate Thesis Show, Baltimore, MD (solo) Second Chance: Brewer’s Art, Baltimore, MD (solo) Biennial Faculty Exhibition, Kresge Art Museum, East Lansing, MI Academy 2006, Conner Contemporary, Washington, DC. Opening Exhibition, Touchet Gallery, Baltimore, MD Only Human, School 33, Baltimore, MD Go Figure, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD 2005 Emerging Artists, Maryland Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD real vs. Real, City Café, Baltimore, MD Artscape Art Fair, Baltimore, MD Group Show, Hoffberger Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2004 Clamor, Rose Wagner Center for the Arts, Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Boxing, Fox Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2003 Paintings, Finch Lane Gallery. Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Regional Show, Saint George Art Museum, Saint George, UT Show us Your Stuff, Left Bank Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT Spring Salon, Springville Art Museum, Springville, UT 2002 Trasa Urban Arts, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Seen and Unseen, Union Art Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT (solo) Professional Experience 2006-present Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 2006-2005 Instructor, Ruriart Community Art Center, Ellicott City, MD 2004-2003 Instructor, Peterson Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT Selected Awards 2015 Alfred and Trafford Klots...

Two figures are engrossed in something we the viewer cannot see but its what brings us into this intimate painting. The surreal landscape is that of a far off land with its mix of languages and architecture. The painting is framed in a simple black frame measuring 12h x 15h inches. Ben Duke...

This colorful scene depicts a woman with an umbrella in the midst of a chaotic urban setting. The foreground is abstracted to include colorful objects blurring the scene. This mixe...

Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Selected Exhibitions 2010 Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2009 Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, C...