bio
Ben Malcolmson (b.1999) is a visual artist from Belfast, living and working in Dublin. Ben works within the parameters of photography, video and sculpture exploring alternative photographic processes with relation to one’s land and identity.
In 2019, Ben was awarded to be apart of Making Marks by the Arab British Centre, funded by the British Council Kuwait. Making Marks, explored the impact of international working on emerging artists. Ben’s residency to Kuwait was one stage in the Making Marks project. Over several months, Ben worked with Belfast Exposed Gallery on a body of work titled Murmur which was exhibited in the gallery as a solo show during February 2020.
Education:
He is a graduate from Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, graduating with a First Class Honours in Bachelor's of Photography with Video, his previous studies include undertaking his Erasmus studies (2019-20) at The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague in Bachelor's of Photography.
Professional Experience:
Ben is the current recipient working with Photo Museum Ireland on their Shared Histories - Diverse Views Artist Commission (2024), he has recently received support from Arts Council Ireland, Agility Award (2024), A-N Bursaries, Time Space Money (2022), 126 Gallery’s Micro-Grant Programme (2021) and Arts Council Northern Ireland Individuals Emergency Resilience Programme (2020) .
Ben is a current studio artist based at Flax Artist Studios in the Emerging Artist Programme (2020-2025) and was a previous cohort member in Constellations - by Up Projects in partnership with Flat Time House (2023/24). Ben also participated in The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Student Forum (2020/21).
Solo / Duo Exhibitions:
(Forthcoming) 2025- Nerve Centre, Shared Histories - Diverse Views, Derry~Londonderry, NI
2024 - Regional Cultural Centre, Shared Histories - Diverse Views, Letterkenny, IRL
2022 - QSS, Lands In-between, Belfast, NI
2020 - Belfast Exposed, Murmur, Belfast, NI
Group Exhibitions (selected):
2023 - Catalyst Arts, to lean, to fold, to fall, to buckle, to hold, to carry, to support, Belfast, NI
2022 - The Printworks, Dublin Castle, PhotoIreland: Images Are All We, Dublin, IRL
2022 - Draíocht, you breathe differently down here, Dublin, IRL
2021 - Belfast City Hall, Lord Mayor's Parlour, Belfast, NI
2021 - The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Rendering New Realities: Access & Alterity, Dublin, IRL
2021 - Catalyst Arts x Belfast Photo Festival, And, if we observe the present, Belfast, NI
2020 - Bow Street Mall, Business as Usual, Lisburn, NI
2020 - Accidental Theatre, Speak It Now Eat It, Belfast, NI
2020 - Museum Belvédère, Generation Z, Heerenveen, NL
2019 - Belfast Exposed, The Collective, Belfast, NI
Residencies:
Forthcoming 2025 - Cow House Studios, House Collective, Co. Wexford, IRL
2024 - Cow House Studios, House Collective, Co. Wexford, IRL
2024 - Cow House Studios x Kunstverein Aughrim, Micro Residency w/ Bassam Issa Al-Sabah, Co. Wexford, IRL
2021 - Belfast School of Art, Graduate-in-residence, Belfast, NI
2021 - DAS Home Residency, Artist-in-residence, Belfast, NI
2020 - Making Space, Online
2018-19 - Northern Narratives, Online
Awards:
2024 - Arts Council of Ireland, Agility Award, Ireland
2023/24 - Up Projects, Constellations, England
2022 - A-N Bursaries, Time Space Money, England
2021 - Fotomuseum Winterthur, Pla(t)form, Switzerland (Nomination)
2021 - Chennai Photo Biennale, India (Nomination)
2021 - 126 Gallery, Micro-Grant Programme, Ireland
2020 - The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Student Forum, Ireland
2020 - Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Individuals Emergency Resilience Programme (IERP), Northern Ireland
2018 - Ulster University, Deans List, Northern Ireland
