You and I

Two series of small, colorful paintings by Birmingham (UK) based artist Ben Sadler, inspired by a curious cast of imaginary visitors to an imaginary exhibition.

Birmingham (UK) born and based Ben Sadler’s colorful painted portraits of imaginary people are full of personality, eclectic states of mind, and varying degrees of intrigue. They are also sometimes evocative, emotive, and amusing. The publication features two bodies of work: You and I (2024) and Exclamations! (2023), both of which present small paintings corresponding to each letter of the alphabet (though the letters U and I are curiously missing from the series You and I). The starting point was the idea of visitors to an imaginary exhibition––who are they, what kinds of people are they, and what thoughts are going through their minds? Such questions are explored in celebrated Birmingham-based author Catherine O’Flynn’s text commissioned for the publication, along with a foreword by Deborah Kermode, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, and an interview by London-based creative coach, podcaster, and public speaker Ceri Hand.

Ben Sadler was born in Birmingham (UK) in 1977. He was an only child and spent a lot of time drawing and hanging out with the family cats. His teenage years were spent obsessing over music, books, and art before attending the Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford (1995–98), and the Royal College of Art, London (2002–04). Since 2001 he has been one half of the artist duo Juneau Projects with his friend Philip Duckworth, while also making his own paintings, music, poems, and videos. He lives in Birmingham with Katy, Hazel, and their cat Oscar. Deborah Kermode is the CEO and Artistic Director of Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) and has been in her role since 2016. Before that she was Deputy Director at Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, and she has also worked as Director of Bright Space, an arts education charity for children and young people. Catherine O’Flynn is a novelist whose writing has received various awards including a British Book Award and the Costa First Novel Award. Fay Weldon described O’Flynn as “the JG Ballard of Birmingham… finding poetry and meaning where others see merely boredom and dereliction.” Ceri Hand is a creative coach, host of the Extraordinary Creatives podcast, and founder of cerihand.com, where she offers coaching, workshops, courses, masterminds, and a membership community for contemporary artists. Dedicated to helping creatives overcome fears, make impactful work, and boost their earnings, Ceri draws on over 30 years in the arts as an artist, curator, and director of renowned galleries and institutions. Matt Price is a publisher, editor, and writer from Birmingham, based in London. He has authored and edited numerous catalogs and books, including two volumes of The Anomie Review of Contemporary British Painting. He has edited titles for Phaidon, Thames & Hudson, Rizzoli, and Hatje Cantz, and is Publisher at Hurtwood Press and Anomie Publishing.