Interview
Benjamin Gibson
Benjamin Gibson is a Toronto-based photographer and creative director whose work explores the intersection of grit and beauty in urban landscapes and portraits. With a background in commercial and fine art photography, Gibson’s style is characterized by its raw, unfiltered approach to capturing the human experience. His fascination with street photography began with a desire to tell the stories of everyday people, often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of city life.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My formal background is training in graphic design and art. I attended Humber College and Seneca at York for my post secondary education. Art has always been a part of my life. I started with art as a young child. My mother used to give me paint (mostly watercolours) and I would just go for hours. I think this was just to keep me entertained. I used to paint on canvases and sell at shows when I was in my 20's, when I got work in the commercial creative world, I focused my creativity there for a very long time. While my focus still needs to be there to some degree, in 2020 I found myself struggling with my creativity, alongside some substance abuse issues. I also found myself divorced and lost as to what I should do next. This is when I found and focused on Photography more as an artistic medium. I had been taking commercial photos for years at this point, but putting it to work in an artistic way was a new discovery for me. Taking it seriously and making artistic shots intentional came with time. My artistic photography, mostly street and documentary, turned out to greatly elevate my commercial work and I'm now more in demand with clients and able to charge a more premium rate. Not because of the notoriety but because of the care and love for the photo. I can't take a photo now without being a little bit in love with whatever or whomever I'm shooting.”
What inspires you?
“Lots of things inspire me. Unusual perspectives, unusual places, unusual people - so I suppose the unusual inspires me. That's pretty open-ended. I have spent a lot of time exploring the 'kind' of artistic photography I'm most interested in, but just when I think I'm inspired by people and their inexorable souls, I'm stuck by the beauty of an architectural detail I'm passing on the street, or the way a shadow is cast in sunlight on the city's cement sidewalk. My first photography print series Canada Series #1, released in 2024 consists of 16 prints from across Canada and was a great growth opportunity for me to explore the medium in a real visceral artistic way.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Dichotomy. Now that I'm thinking about it I suppose I'm pursuing the unusual or generally unseen sides of life, perspectives, my perspectives and those of others the best I can interpret. My perspective is just what I have direct access to so it becomes a reference point for me to explore the world and apathetically try to understand - and convey - the perspective (mine or others) to someone else through a photograph. I think the underlying theme that I pursue would be the balance of beauty and grit. The good and the bad I suppose. The dirty and the clean together make life, make beauty. I'm currently exploring more social issues through my work and focusing on the dichotomy of these issues and life itself. The contrast, the contradiction and how it makes life work.”
How would you describe your work?
“Experimental documentary street photography.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Oh, wow what a question! A lot of artists and photographers have influenced me in different ways. Australian photographer Daniel Shipp comes to mind as I have a large print of his in my living room. Michael Ulmer also comes to mind, however I've never seen any of his work in person. Oliver Duncan is another street photographer that comes to mind. Jenna Watson is doing some great work right now. David Leventi also does incredible work, architecture and symmetry are two things I find very satisfying. I'm also interested in artists like Mr. Brainwash, particularly his influence in modern pop-art. I'm also influenced by people who have been successful in the fashion industry but I consider artists nonetheless like Alexander McQueen and Tom Ford.”
“My perspective is just what I have direct access to so it becomes a reference point for me to explore the world and apathetically try to understand - and convey - the perspective (mine or others) to someone else through a photograph.”
What is your creative process like?
“That depends entirely on what I'm shooting. When we're talking about street photography or documentary photography sometimes there is research involved, certainly there is planning involved, even if it's just a subject or destination in-mind. A lot of work does happen on the fly, and I find the most inspiring things are usually the most unexpected. When I was traveling for Canada Series #1 I remember the planning was significant, but a lot of the shots were almost all completely unexpected. They revealed themselves as I traveled, like they had been waiting there for me.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I believe two things on this. First and probably most importantly I think an artist has a responsibility to show the world itself through their unique perspective. This allows art consumers to see outside of their own world-view and I think that's important. I know it's important to me, that I see perspectives beyond my own. Secondly I believe artists have a responsibility to use their platforms to voice the change they want to see in the world, to some degree, somehow. I don't necessarily agree with every perspective or every artist but I think it's important that they use their platform responsibly and honestly.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Yes, I'm happy to have had a three-month long solo exhibition at Toronto's TD Centre downtown in 2024. I participated in The Artist Project in Toronto this past May (2025) which was very successful for me. I will have another solo exhibition in 2025, details are still being worked out on that. I regularly participate in group shows and other exhibitions also. I detail and promote these events on my Instagram, so follow there if you want to keep up.”
Website: benjamingibson.ca
Instagram: @ben_in_toronto
