Benjamin Work

Benjamin Work (born 1979, Auckland, New Zealand) is an artist from New Zealand with Tongan and Scottish heritage. He is well known for his paintings, murals and sculptures inspired by his genealogy back to Tonga.

Work Drawing on his Tongan heritage, Work began to explore new directions in his art over the last decade. Inspired by the iconography found on Tongan treasures such as ngatu (bark cloth), fala (Tongan mats), and 'akau tau (war clubs), his refined, graphic paintings aimed to find new spaces and ways for audiences to engage with Tonga's visual culture. Work's art found a home both inside institutions and on the streets.

Work has developed a deep interest in and conducted extensive research on aspects of Tongan history and culture, and reuses Tongan traditions and symbols into his artwork. Work is part of the urban art movement and has exhibited in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, United States, Cook Islands, and Tonga. In 2021, he created a big 330-square-metre mural Motutapu II across the floor and up two walls of Canterbury Museum inspired by the distinctive carved patterns on Tongan ‘akau tau (war clubs) in the museum’s collection.

Awards

2024: Fatu Feu’u Pacific Arts Prize from University of Auckland

Selected residencies

2025: Matafatafa Aho Pacific Artist in Residency, Auckland Museum 2024: McCahon House Residency, Auckland, New Zealand 2019: Artist in Residence, Para Site, Hong Kong

Selected solo and collaborative exhibitions Work's work are held public and private collections throughout New Zealand, such as in Auckland Museum, Canterbury Museum, and The Arts House Trust. 2026: PĀPAAKI, 25th Biennale of Sydney, Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney, Australia 2025: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Gow Langsford Gallery, Onehunga, Auckland 2023: Bodies of Water, Made of Land (with Harrison Freeth), Te Tuhi, Auckland, New Zealand 2023: Bodies of Water (with Harrison Freeth), Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand 2021: MOTUTAPU (with Brendan Kitto), Te Uru, Auckland, New Zealand 2022: Toa Motu, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2018: Benjamin Work: Write it on the land, Seal it on the heart, Te Tuhi, Auckland, New Zealand 2017: Whenua Fonua 'Enua, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2017: Return to Havaiki (with Andy Leleisi’uao), Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands 2016: METfriday, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, United States of America 2016: For King and Country, Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands 2015: Toutoutā, Olivia Laita Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2014: I See Red, I See Red, I See Red, Fresh Gallery, Otara, Auckland, New Zealand

Selected group exhibitions

2023: Horizon, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2023: Tukufakaholo – Tongan Contemporary, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2022: Te Atuitanga – Beneath our Cloak of Stars, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2021: The Most Dedicated, Dowse Art Museum, Wellington, New Zealand 2015: PGP, AMbush Gallery, Sydney 2013: If These Walls Could Talk, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, Auckland, New Zealand 2013: Serigraph show, Olivia Laita Gallery, Auckland 2011: Primary Flight, Art Basel, Miami, United States of America

Publications