Meet the maker.
Benjamin Fletcher is a mixed media artist whose practice has always drawn inspiration from, and usually comprises, discarded materials.
His work explores themes that lend themselves to coastal habitation, liminal spaces, decay, deception, rebirth and the perils of modern living.
The outcomes of this exploration used to take the form of mixed media assemblages but he is currently focussing on the creation of vessels, functional and sculptural forms using recycled, gifted, or otherwise unwanted woods. Though they may differ aesthetically, the motive remains unchanged; to collect, arrange and reform found objects, albeit now using singular material.
He collects and wood from trees that are felled or fallen, their history recorded not only in the growth rings but also in the rot and spalting, the checks and cracks, grain and chatoyance, the rust and patina. Rather than removing or hiding them, Benjamin exposes these marks, revealing the imperfections as the woods’ own contribution to the collaborative process of sculpture.
Working with reclaimed wood is about chance; every piece he gathers might be transformed into something beautiful, or perhaps the wood is too far gone to work with and will be reclaimed by nature once more as kindling and mulch.
He has a fondness for local trees, weeds and modest flora, and prefers making objects that are less grand in figure and in size; they fit in the hand as they are meant to be held. The warmth and tactility of wood invites a more intimate form of study, and vessels are objects that beg further investigation than mere observation.
Benjamin studied Fine Art at UCA Canterbury, where he continued to work as a technical tutor in 3D processes until leaving in 2025 to pursue his own practice. He is currently based at Cockpit studios in Deptford.