Photograph by Elias Williams
Christopher Joshua Benton is an American artist based in Miza, Abu Dhabi working in artistic research and installation. He works closely within neighborhoods to instigate collaboration and share stories of power, labor, and hope. Inspired by his 10 years living in the United Arab Emirates, Christopher investigates traces of the homeland in diasporic communities.
His exhibitions have been presented at museums, biennials and art fairs around the world including the Fikra Graphic Design Biennial (Sharjah, UAE), Abu Dhabi Art: Beyond Emerging ( 59th Venice Biennale) and Dubai Design Week. Further projects have been exhibited at Jameel Arts Centre (Dubai, UAE); Warehouse421 (Abu Dhabi, UAE); Aicon Contemporary (NYC, USA); and BLOCKHOUSE (Tokyo, Japan), among others. His art and research have been televised on the BBC and CNN, and in print with GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and Architectural Digest.
Funded by the Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, Christopher has a master's degree in Art, Culture, and Technology from MIT, where he earned the Obermayer Prize and the Harold & Arlene Shnitzer Prize. He has also completed programs and fellowships with University of Georgia and University of Oxford as a Gilman Scholar. He is the former global creative director of Huawei.
Feature story televised on CNN International
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Master of Science in Art, Culture, & Technology | School of Architecture and Planning
The University of Georgia
Bachelor of Arts in English | Franklin College of Arts & Sciences
University of Oxford
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholar | Keble College | Study Abroad
SOLO PRESENTATIONS & BIENNIALS
2022
2021
2021
2018
59th Venice Biennale, Collateral Exhibition at Palazzo Franchetti Cavalli, Venezia, Italy | Curated by Dyala Nusseibeh
The World Was My Garden | Abu Dhabi Art: Beyond Emerging | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Curated by Till Felrath and Sam Bardaouil
Worked (So and so and on and on and so on and so on) | Art Space, Al Ain, UAE
Fikra Graphic Design Biennial, Sharjah, UAE | Curated by Prem Krishnamurthy & Common-Interest
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITONS
2023
2023
2023
2023
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2021
2020
2020
2019
2019
2019
2018
2017
Zero.zero, MIT.nano, Cambridge, MA
Counteractions, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA
Documentary Fictions, Harvard Carpenter Center, Cambridge, MA
Counteractions, Distillery Gallery, Boston, MA
Noshka Presents, Sikka Art Fair 2023, Dubai, UAE | Curated by Zayed University
Abu Dhabi Art 2022
Frome Photo Festival, Culture Pool, Maker’s Yard, Frome, UK
Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts Exhibition, MIT Wiesner Art Gallery, Cambridge, MA
I Shout My Laughter to the Stars, Aicon Contemporary, NY, NY
So Different, So Appealing, Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi, UAE (collab. w/ Rakan Ghresi & Ashay Bhave)
Garden of E-arthly delights, Sumac Space, Dubai, UAE | Curated by Ruba Al-Seel
East East Vol. 4: The Curio Shop Part III, ILY Hub, Tokyo, Japan | Curated by Sophie Arni
East East Vol. 4: The Curio Shop Part II, Block House, Tokyo, Japan | Curated by Sophie Arni
East East Vol. 4: The Curio Shop Part I, H.B. Nezu, Tokyo, Japan | Curated by Sophie Arni
Al Seef Festival, Al Seef, Dubai, UAE
UAE Designer’s Exhibition, Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, UAE | Curated by Ghassan Salamat
Practice & Critique, Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Localities, Satellite Gallery, Dubai, UAE
001, Blue Cave Gallery, Dubai, UAE
SIKKA Art Fair, Dubai, UAE
Blue Cave Urban Art Festival, Dubai Design District, Dubai, UAE
SIKKA Art Fair, Dubai, UAE
COMMISSIONS
2023
2022
2020
2019
“When I Get Home.” Dubai Public Art | Dubai, UAE | Curated by Samayya Vally [Finalist]
“City Behind My Window.” Adidas Middle East Flagship, Dubai, UAE
“How to Be at Rest.” Dubai Design Week, Dubai, UAE
“Who Gets Paid for Digital Labor?” Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, UAE
GRANTS & AWARDS
2023
2023
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2021
2021
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2020
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
Artadia Award - Boston (Finalist)
MIT Obermayer Prize for Academic Writing
MIT Sandbox Grant
MIT ACT Gallery Grant
Council of the Arts at MIT Grant
Instagram / Brooklyn Museum Emerging Black Visionary
Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts Prize
MIT ACT Pilot Grant
MIT ACT Pilot Grant
Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation Emerging Artist Fellowship Scholarship
MIT Department of Architecture Graduate Fellowship
Art Jameel Research and Practice Platform Grant
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
UGA Incentive Scholarship
UGA Foundation Scholarship
International Education Week Scholarship
Katherine John Murphy Scholarship
The Georgia HOPE Scholarship
SELECTED PRESS
2023
2022
2022
2021
2021
2021
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
"CNN Stylish Moments.” Television program. CNN.
“Christopher Joshua Benton Presents a Lightbox Installation.” GQ Middle East.
“Meet Christopher Joshua Benton.” Architectural Digest Middle East.
“Christopher Benton builds humble colorful bright art pieces from found objects.” It’s Nice That.
“Vox Populi: Christopher Benton.” Harper’s Bazaar ART BOOK.
"Abu Dhabi's Cultural DNA Is Evolving—Emerging Artists' Work Proves It.” Cultured Mag.
"Young Voices from Dubai." Canvas Magazine.
"Rethinking Design." Television program. BBC World News.
“An Art Exhibition in Dubai on the Meaning of Homeland.” Vice Arabia.
"How to be at Rest installation features bricolage chairs made by migrants in the UAE.“ Dezeen.
"How to Be At Rest: Christopher Benton." Cover story. Identity Magazine.
TEACHING & LECTURES
2022
2022
2022
2021
2022
2020
2020
2020
2018
2018
2018
2018
Teaching Fellow at MIT
Guest Lecture, MIT List Center
Guest Critic, Massachusetts College of Art & Design
Visiting Artist, Zayed University, Noshka Printmaking Lab
Guest Critic, MIT
Workshop, Al Qattara Arts Centre
Workshop, Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi
Panelist, Dubai Design Week Talks
Workshop, 421 Arts Campus
Panelist, 421 Arts Campus
Visiting Guest Lecture, American University of Dubai
Panelist, World Art Dubai