Ben Hamburger is a painter, socially engaged artist, and educator based in New Orleans, LA. Hamburger holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts from Eckerd College and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Community Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Hamburger has led workshops and taught courses in schools, universities, art centers, museums, correctional facilities, and nonprofit organizations around the United States, as well as Bolivia, Thailand, and India. Hamburger has been the recipient of numerous grants, awards, and fellowships including the Orange County Arts Council Artist Grant, The Outstanding Young Alumni Award from Eckerd College, and First Place Prize in Orange County’s annual Plein Air Painting Event. Hamburger has attended artist residencies at The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, LA, Sustainable Bolivia in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Joshua Tree Highlands Residency in Joshua Tree, CA. His work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions at locations including the Maryhill Museum of Art, Montpelier Arts Center, Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh, and the Western Carolina University Art Museum. Hamburger’s work has been covered by Indy Week, The News and Observer, Voice of America, Tampa Bay Times, The Baltimore Sun, WYPR, and Baltimore Style Magazine. Hamburger is currently an Adjunct Instructor in the School of Art and Design at Western Carolina University and teaches painting at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art.
Artist Statement
I am interested in art as a means of exchange and connection with the world. As cultures and environments evolve, I use painting to look closer, provoke critical thought, and explore moments of tension and duality.
From landscapes and figurative works to depictions of current events and musings on psychology, my paintings tackle a wide range of subject matter each materializing a fleeting experience or search for meaning.
Socially engaged projects and teaching are integral components of my artistic practice. Working with, learning from, and sharing experiences with others motivates all other aspects of my work and allows me to better contextualize my multifaceted role as an artist.
