Ben Weiner

Reflection Pearls II

2019

Oceanic Pearls is an oil painting on prepared paper, sheet size 15.75 x 22 inches, signed, titled and dated verso, 'Ben Weiner Oceanic Pearls 2019' and framed in a contemporary white frame. Connecting two opposing styles—abstraction and photorealism—Ben Weiner creates hyper-detailed, lush paintings and videos of extremely magnified consumer products, including hair gel, chemical food additives, and deodorant. In his work, he presents such meticulously rendered, close-up views of his subjects that they read as pure abstractions. A through-line in Weiner’s various bodies of work is contemporary culture’s obsession with bodily enhancement through chemical products—whether by using hair products or taking illegal drugs. "My paintings of pearls and hair gel merge varied notions of art as creation with biological and mythological concepts of creation. Visually, the pearls seem to emerge from the hair gel, suggesting biological processes such as cellular division, or the primordial soup that preceded life on earth. The all-over, abstract qualities of the hair gel recall the abstract expressionists’ concepts of the sublime art object and art as a transcendent act of creation. Additionally, the pearl itself is a naturally produced object of profound beauty. I use it to symbolize my understanding of creation as a feminine power, intrinsically linked to beauty (as in Boticelli’s The Birth of Venus). Finally, the pearls are an ode to Audrey Flack, one of my early artistic influences." - Ben Weiner Ben Charles Weiner (b. 1980) is a New York based contemporary artist. His work bridges the seemingly opposite styles of hyperrealism, and process-based abstraction. Mr. Weiner has exhibited his work widely in the US and internationally, at institutions including The Carnegie Art Museum, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, The Boca Raton Museum of Art, and The Tarble Art Center. His work is in public collections including Microsoft, Sammlung/Collection, Progressive Insurance, and The Frederick R. Weisman Collection...

Gel Monochrome #6 is an oil painting on prepared paper, sheet size 22 x 14.75 inches, signed, titled and dated verso, 'Ben Weiner Gel Monochrome #6 2019' and framed in a contemporary white frame. Connecting two opposing styles—abstraction and photorealism—Ben Weiner creates hyper-detailed, lush paintings and videos of extremely magnified consumer products, including hair gel, chemical food additives, and deodorant. In his work, he presents such meticulously rendered, close-up views of his subjects that they read as pure abstractions. A through-line in Weiner’s various bodies of work is contemporary culture’s obsession with bodily enhancement through chemical products—whether by using hair products or taking illegal drugs. "The Gel Series presents a virtual environment that is in flux. Based on hair gel, a material that is physically malleable and visually enticing, it has the ability to change one’s physical appearance. In an abstract manner, the painting reflects our current global environment, subject to constant, dramatic change and rapid development- on the one hand through humanity’s ability to alter the face of the earth according to its ideas; on the other through changing environmental conditions and natural disasters". - Ben Weiner Ben Charles Weiner (b. 1980) is a New York based contemporary artist. His work bridges the seemingly opposite styles of hyperrealism, and process-based abstraction. Mr. Weiner has exhibited his work widely in the US and internationally, at institutions including The Carnegie Art Museum, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, The Boca Raton Museum of Art, and The Tarble Art Center. His work is in public collections including Microsoft, Sammlung/Collection, Progressive Insurance, and The Frederick R. Weisman Collection...

Polychrome Gel #11 is an oil painting on canvas with a canvas size of 18 x 24 inches, signed, titled and dated on the overlap verso, 'Ben Weiner Polychrome Gel #11 2019'' and framed in a contemporary white frame. Connecting two opposing styles—abstraction and photorealism—Ben Weiner creates hyper-detailed, lush paintings and videos of extremely magnified consumer products, including hair gel, chemical food additives, and deodorant. In his work, he presents such meticulously rendered, close-up views of his subjects that they read as pure abstractions. A through-line in Weiner’s various bodies of work is contemporary culture’s obsession with bodily enhancement through chemical products—whether by using hair products or taking illegal drugs. "The Gel Series presents a virtual environment that is in flux. Based on hair gel, a material that is physically malleable and visually enticing, it has the ability to change one’s physical appearance. In an abstract manner, the painting reflects our current global environment, subject to constant, dramatic change and rapid development- on the one hand through humanity’s ability to alter the face of the earth according to its ideas; on the other through changing environmental conditions and natural disasters". - Ben Weiner Ben Charles Weiner (b. 1980) is a New York based contemporary artist. His work bridges the seemingly opposite styles of hyperrealism, and process-based abstraction. Mr. Weiner has exhibited his work widely in the US and internationally, at institutions including The Carnegie Art Museum, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, The Boca Raton Museum of Art, and The Tarble Art Center. His work is in public collections including Microsoft, Sammlung/Collection, Progressive Insurance, and The Frederick R. Weisman Collection...

Polychrome Gel #15 is an oil painting on canvas with a canvas size of 24 x 18 inches, signed, titled and dated on the overlap verso, 'Ben Weiner Polychrome Gel #15 2020'' and framed in a contemporary white frame. Connecting two opposing styles—abstraction and photorealism—Ben Weiner creates hyper-detailed, lush paintings and videos of extremely magnified consumer products, including hair gel, chemical food additives, and deodorant. In his work, he presents such meticulously rendered, close-up views of his subjects that they read as pure abstractions. A through-line in Weiner’s various bodies of work is contemporary culture’s obsession with bodily enhancement through chemical products—whether by using hair products or taking illegal drugs. "The Gel Series presents a virtual environment that is in flux. Based on hair gel, a material that is physically malleable and visually enticing, it has the ability to change one’s physical appearance. In an abstract manner, the painting reflects our current global environment, subject to constant, dramatic change and rapid development- on the one hand through humanity’s ability to alter the face of the earth according to its ideas; on the other through changing environmental conditions and natural disasters". - Ben Weiner Ben Charles Weiner (b. 1980) is a New York based contemporary artist. His work bridges the seemingly opposite styles of hyperrealism, and process-based abstraction. Mr. Weiner has exhibited his work widely in the US and internationally, at institutions including The Carnegie Art Museum, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, The Boca Raton Museum of Art, and The Tarble Art Center. His work is in public collections including Microsoft, Sammlung/Collection, Progressive Insurance, and The Frederick R. Weisman Collection...

Series: Sea Within — Shells & Pearls. An open oyster reveals a collection of luminous pearls, nestled within a shell enriched by delicate gold detailing, warm antique-gold tones, and deep imperial violet hues. Balancing realism with decorative refinement, the painting transforms a natural form into something timeless and precious — an object that feels both discovered and treasured. The pearls emerge as quiet symbols of abundance, beauty, and hidden value. Rather than displaying luxury as something external, the work reflects a more intimate richness: the treasures carried within, shaped by time, experience, and light. While the gold detailing remains a constant presence, subtle pearlescent layers reveal themselves only from certain angles, creating shifting reflections and a changing visual depth. Imperial Pearls...

A contemporary realist oil painting by American artist A.J. Fries. Artist’s Statement: My paintings are less about the images or scenes that they depict and more about my state o...

Series: Sea Within — Shells & Pearls. An open oyster reveals two luminous pearls — one soft and airy, the other deep, dark, and iridescent. Painted with a balance of realism and deco...

With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...