Ben Levene RA
Born: 23 December 1938, London, UK
Elected ARA: 25 April 1975
Elected RA: 20 November 1986
Category of Membership: Painter
My philosophy is that I like one foot in the unknown and one foot in reality. The familiarity of the real helps the viewer to access my pictures, but I always take liberties with the subject, depending on my own perceptions.
Ben Levene RA
Ben Levene RA, Trailing Fuchsia 'Harry Gray' on Mason Ironside Plate
Ben Levene studied under Claude Rogers and William Coldstream at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1956 to 1961, where he gained a Boise Scholarship which enabled him to live in Spain from 1961 to 1962. His extensive teaching career began as Visiting Lecturer and teacher of painting and drawing at Camberwell School of Art from 1963 to 1989. From 1980 to 1995 he was visiting tutor at the Royal Academy Schools. Levene was also Visiting Tutor at City & Guilds of London Art School from 1990 to 1995 and in 1995 he was appointed Curator at the Royal Academy Schools where he remained until 1998.
Levene’s work was first shown at Helen Lessore’s Beaux Arts Gallery, London in 1960. Since then he has been invited to exhibit extensively in many mixed shows including 'British Painting 1952-1977', at the Royal Academy of Arts, 'Friends and Colleagues of Claude Rogers', held at the Royal West of England Academy in 1993 and in many private galleries in London and throughout the UK. He has also exhibited at the Jasper Gallery, in Houston, Texas, and New York, and at the David Mitchell Gallery, Toronto, as well as at the Chicago Art Fair. His work has been included in numerous open shows including the 'GLC Spirit of London Festival' (where he was a Prize-Winner), the 'Whitechapel Open', the 'Hunting Group Competition', shown in London and Paris, and with the London Group.
Ben Levene RA, Electric Storm Solo exhibitions of his work were initially held at the Thackeray Gallery, London (1973, 1975, 1978 and 1981) and further solo shows have been held at the New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham (1994) and at Browse & Darby, London (1988, 1993 and 2001). Shared exhibitions include the New Grafton Gallery with Olwyn Bowey RA in 1969 and the Alpha House Gallery, Sherbourne with Anthony Green RA in 1995.
Ben Levene was elected a Member of the Royal Academy in 1986 (ARA 1975) and lives and works in London.
Recent solo exhibitions
2001 Browse & Darby, London (solo show)
1995 Alpha House Gallery, Sherbourne, Dorset
(shared with Anthony Green RA)
1994 New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham (solo show)
1993 Browse & Darby, London (solo show)
Friends and Colleagues of Claude Rogers,
Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
1992 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
Public collections
Chantrey Bequest
Government Art Collection
Guildhall Art Gallery
Hull Education Centre
Leicestershire Education Committee
Paintings in Hospitals, Nuffield Collection
Rochdale Museum, SIV Fund Purchase
Southampton Art Gallery, Stott Collection
Contact details for further information
Email membershipoffice@royalacademy.org.uk
