Trinkets

In this formidable new body of work, Quilty focuses almost exclusively on the human figure –especially heads, eyes and mouths – as he wrestles into existence urgently expressive, even grotesque, embodiments of the way many of us are feeling right now, the artist included.

This collection of works, Ben’s trinkets, has all of this within it. We know Ben Quilty, we know he paints hard and fast. The paint is thick, smells great (to me), and yields to the artist completely. Some think Quilty’s work takes on the literal weight of the world: heavy, twisted, thick paintings that don’t budge.

Gina Mobayed, 2025