Chris Bennett

Chris Bennett



I have always been curios about manipulating or re-constructing discarded objects into other things of interest or use; (some were of less interest and use). This curiosity quite often got me into trouble with my parents having virtually made a scrap yard out of their well tended garden. However, my experiences led to a very practical “hands on” approach to jobs and projects, learning how to be very creative with ideas and thoughts. Over this period of time I have amassed a large collection of skills, which eventually led me into engineering and then into the creative world of Graphic design in the late 80s, which was just embracing the world of modern computers and digital imaging.

I photograph many everyday objects I see on my travels and around my home, I feel it is important to keep all the imperfections and unique flaws in each object (which would be very easy to remove using the computer). I like the idea of objects being "slightly out of proportion" or contrasted forms merged to form something entirely new, suggesting an almost alternative world of these juxtaposed forms. I’m not interested in creating disgust or shock as this would be too easy with this method of art creation, I am more interested in creating unusual images that are slightly ironic with a subtle blend of humour and which also illustrate elements of human oversight as in my series of images titled “Observers” and to an extent in “Circus Animalus”.

All of my illustrations are made up from specific collections of photographs containing textures, tones and colours that I feel best represent the subject, mood or title of the piece. The completed pictures can take many months to create from a large collection of digital images, most taken by myself over many years, each image then being carefully cut out and positioned, coloured or toned to fit “jigsaw like”. I take great care not to change too much of the original photographs except where it is merged or joined with another or necessary for the concept. The end results are very large digital photographs that keep the style of a normal photograph where no special filters or effects are used, nor are they “computer generated”, (I leave that to the experts in that particular field).


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