My Bond with the Masters of Benin

My Debt to the Masters of Benin

As an artist, my practice has always been a search for presence—that rare quality when an object seems to transcend its material and begin to speak.

Inspired by an encounter with the Benin Bronzes at The British Museum, I mirrored the visual presence of ancient bronze plaques through luminous layers of watercolour.

Working directly from the original artifacts without preliminary sketches, I relied on intuitive brushwork to capture the "restive souls" of Benin.

The resulting portraits—kings, queens, and shamanic figures—retain the dignity and life force of their sculptural origins while existing in a time and place not their own.

Through this process, I tried to forge links between antiquity and the present moment, allowing ancient royal imagery to reappear through the delicate medium of watercolour.

Several works from the series have been selected for annual exhibitions of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) and the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS).

The Benin Kingdom Watercolours are currently held in private collections. Only 7 original paintings remain available for acquisition from this historic series.