Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson gained renown for his paintings that capture architectural spaces, particularly his large-scale cityscape artworks known for their intricate detail. His oeuvre includes panoramic views of cities such as Hong Kong, Zürich, Jerusalem, Liverpool, and London.

Biography of Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson was born in Llandudno (Wales) in 1946. He attended the Royal College of Art in London where he crossed paths with Sheila Kellehar, who would become his spouse.

Immediately after graduating from the Royal College, his debut solo exhibition took place at the Wickesham Gallery in New York in 1969.

He was honored as the first painter to be appointed as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1990. At the inaugural Venice Architecture Biennale in 1991, Norman Foster exclusively featured Johnson's work through his images, and he included Johnson again in his installation there in 2012.

Over the past 46 years, he has showcased his artwork in galleries and museums spanning the globe, from prestigious institutions in major cities to cultural venues in diverse corners of the world. Exhibitions featuring Ben Johnson's works include "Architecture of London" at Guildhall Art Gallery in London (2019), "50 Years of Realism - Photorealism to Virtual Reality" at the Bank of Brazil Culture Centre in Rio de Janeiro (2019), "John Moores Painting Prize 2018" at Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool (2018), "Photorealism: 50 Years of Hyperrealistic Painting" at Kunsthal Rotterdam (2017), and many more. 

Johnson's artworks were also featured in a traveling exhibition across European museums from 2012 to 2017, with several venues setting new records for visitor numbers.

In 2014, Johnson received the 'Threadneedle Visitors Choice Award' for his painting "Room of the Revolutionary." The following year, in 2015, he was honored as an Honorary Fellow of Glyndwr University, Wales, in recognition of his contributions to the public appreciation of the arts. In 2017, he became a Member of the Royal Cambrian Academy in Wales.

Currently, the artist lives and works in London, UK.