The official artist for Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ben Mosley’s ‘action and modern expressionist’ work is influenced by Picasso and Matisse. One of Britain’s top live painters, his use of 24 carat gold has become synonymous with his unique style.Sally Stirling talks to the artist about his work
Having raised close to £1.8 million for charity, and worked with some big names like Marie Curie, McDonalds and Manchester United, Ben’s work can be found in private collections around the world. His record sale currently stands at £66k. Hailing from Baldock, in Hertfordshire, Ben took a BTEC diploma art foundation course at the University of Hertfordshire followed by a BA honours fine art degree at the University of Liverpool.
Live painting
Live painting, creating a piece in front of a large audience, all while against the clock and so in a pressured environment is something Ben particularly enjoys. By translating the excitement and energy of an event onto canvas, in real time, Ben aims to encapsulate the raw emotion.
‘It was incredible to live paint at the world-class Saatchi Gallery during the Frieze Art Week. What a venue and what an opportunity. I’ve always believed that art is one of the best forms of communication, so to be able to show people my vision and create a painting of one of the best skylines in the world on a huge scale in front of the general public was a terrific feeling. This particular piece was in celebration of the King’s Coronation and is made up of many union flags to showcase this.’
Olympic dreams
For the second time, following Tokyo 2021, Ben is honoured to have been selected as Team GB’s official artist for the Olympic Games in Paris this July. This involves travelling out with the team to capture the best moments in art form. ‘My passion for showcasing the dynamic beauty of sports through my art has been my inspiration for many years.
‘It was an ambition of mine to work as the official artist with Team GB at the Olympic Games and in 2020 I realised that dream when they appointed me as official artist for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Sadly I couldn’t attend due to Covid restrictions but creating my ‘medal moments mural’ on Carnaby Street was one of the greatest experiences and greatest honours of my life, and one of my biggest challenges. It was a unique experience as the general public were allowed to witness the process live, and it was shown on national television. The pressure to deliver became
