Benet Spencer

Born in 1969, Benet studied an undergraduate in Birmingham and then post grad at the Royal Academy Schools, graduating in 1995. He joined the teaching staff at ARU in 2008, having previously taught at Liverpool John Moores University, and London College of Fashion (UAL).

Benet is a London-based artist, with a studio in Tulse Hill. His artwork explores the relationship between painting and architecture, in relation to current debates around the role of painting within contemporary Fine Art practice. He works through a variety of processes, including digital imaging, collage, and in his current series, paintings made with oil on canvas.

Since 2004, his curatorial work has focused on developing multi-stage exhibitions. Recent projects have explored the intersections of painting, drawing, and architecture, alongside the dialogues between art, science, and science fiction.

• Contemporary approaches to painting
• The representation of utopia in both modernism and contemporary art
• Architectonic languages of representation and the digital image
• The history of landscape painting
• The intersection between art and technology

• Contemporary art practice / Approaches to contemporary painting

Recent PhD supervisions:

• April Virgo – ‘Thickness and Depth: The Paradoxical Workings of the Grid in Painting’ (2024)
• Anna Salamon – ‘On Luminosity and Abstract Painting’ (2025)

• PG Diploma in Painting, Royal Academy Schools, 1995
• BA (Hons) Fine Art, Birmingham Polytechnic, 1991
• Foundation in Art and Design, Herts College of Art and Design, St Albans, 1988

• Fellow, Higher Education Academy
• Member, Design and Artists Copyright Society
• Réseau Peinture (member of research network)

• External Examiner in MRes Fine Art, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, 2019
• External Examiner in BA Fine Art, Hull College of Art and Design, 2012-16
• External Examiner in BA Fine Art, Harrogate College, 2012-16

Exhibitions

2025 Firm Foundations, St Albans Museum & Gallery (curated by University of Hertfordshire Arts + Culture). Group exhibition.

2023-24 Arcadia for All? Rethinking Landscape Painting Now, Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, University of Leeds and Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester (co-curated by Geraint Evans and Judith Tucker). Group exhibition. Catalogue published by University of Leeds: ISBN: 978-1-874331-68-1.

2023 The New Accelerator (co-curated by Benet Spencer, Laurence Noga and Saturation Point). Ruskin Gallery (group exhibition), Symposium and catalogue published by Anglia Ruskin University. Catalogue essays by Laurence Noga, Benet Spencer and Phil King; Interview: Katrina Blannin with Jeffery Steele. Foreword by Benet Spencer. ISBN: 978-1-912319-07-7.

2019 Collision Drive (co-curated by Benet Spencer and Steven Rendall)

(i). 2019: Collision Drive 3 - RMIT Project Space, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Group exhibition, featuring: 8 artists from UK and Australia. Catalogue Published by: RMIT University, Melbourne; catalogue essay by Jack Willet.

(ii). 2019: Collision Drive 2 - Project Space Plus, University of Lincoln. Two-person exhibition with Steven Rendall.

(iii). 2019: Collision Drive 1 - Wimbledon Space, Wimbledon College of Art, UAL, London. Two-person exhibition with Steven Rendall. Catalogue Published by: Wimbledon Space, UAL. Foreword by Geraint Evans and essay by Phil King. ISBN: 978-1-9993085-3-7.

2016 - 2020 Phase I: Painting, Drawing, Architecture. (co-curated by Benet Spencer and David Ryan, as part of Réseau Peinture research network).

(i). 2020; Phase IV: Intersections – Art / Architecture - Stephen Laurence Gallery, University of Greenwich, London (co-curated with David Waterworth). Group exhibition, with catalogue and symposia, featuring: 23 artists and architects from the UK, France and Germany. Catalogue published by University of Greenwich. ISBN : 978-0-9573430-7-8.

(ii). 2019: Phase III – le Modulor - HLM: Hors-les Murs-Marseille (co-curated with David Ryan). Group exhibition, featuring: 23 artists from UK and France. (collaboration with Katharina Schmidt and the ARC Modulor research group, École supérieure d'art & de design Marseille, Marseille).

(iii). 2018: Phase II - Imagining Architecture - institut supérieur des arts de Toulouse (co-curated with David Ryan). Group exhibition, featuring: 10 artists from UK and France, and 7 artists and architects from the architectural archive of isdaT, Toulouse.

(iv). 2016: Phase I - Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge (co-curated with David Ryan). Group exhibition, featuring: 17 artists from France, UK and USA.

2019: Fully Awake 4.6, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh. (presented with Andrew Bracey). Group exhibition, curated by Ian Hartshorne and Sean Kaye for the organisation Teaching Painting.

2018: 40 Celsius, ASC Gallery, West Croydon, London. Selected group exhibition.

2014: The Opinion Makers, Londonewcastle Project Space, London. Group exhibition featuring London-based artist-curators.

2014: A Union of Voices, Horatio Junior, London. A group exhibition of artist’s books, curated by Tim Ellis.

2014: (detail), Usher Gallery, Lincoln; Transition Gallery, London and H-Project Space, Bangkok. International touring group exhibition, curated by Andrew Bracey. Catalogue published by University of Lincoln: ISBN : 978-0-9568814-3-4.

2012-13: Forward Thinking, The Island Queen; London; touring to Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, Scotland; Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action Forum, Achtercairn, Gairloch, Scotland; Horatio Junior, London, 2013. Group exhibition curated by Tim Ellis.

2012: Museums in the Incident, Monash Gallery, Melbourne, Australia. International group exhibition, curated by Steven Rendall (catalogue).

2012: The Perfect Nude, Wimbledon School of Art Gallery, London; Pheonix Gallery, Exeter; Charlie Smith Gallery, London. Touring group exhibition curated by Phillip Allen and Dan Coombes.

2011: The Thing is the Thing, ASC Gallery, London. Group exhibition curated by Benet Spencer (catalogue).

2009: Reconstructing the Old House, Nunnery Gallery, London and Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge. Touring group exhibition curated by Benet Spencer. Funded by Arts Council England (catalogue).

2009: Saxon, Schwartz Gallery, London. Group exhibition curated by Juan Bolivar.

2006: Fantasy Island, Metropole Galleries, Folkestone. Group exhibition curated by Benet Spencer.

2023 The New Accelerator – Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Symposium presentation alongside ‘The New Accelerator’ exhibition (Ruskin Gallery).

2020: Phase IV: Intersections – Art / Architecture, University of Greenwich, London. Symposium presentation: ‘Phase I: Painting, Drawing, Architecture (2016 – 2020).