188:. For this installation, he created a hanging whale made of metal and hardware, which he suspended from the ceiling by a rope. He set on the wall behind the hanging whale a painting of the whale's mother and baby. It was the first of his installations dedicated to memory and loss, a signature work that marked the beginning of his prolific production of memorial sculptures of endangered and extinct wildlife. He created it in response to his feeling that there was a lack of animal symbolism in Western culture so, as an artist, as he said, it was his job to put that in.
242:
141:
307:, in 2010. It covered 20 years of his work and ultimately travelled to eight galleries across Canada. Some viewers thought the show seemed like the remnants of a storybook world but even museum professionals found its scale, which required major gallery space, "quite impressive". In 2016, the Michael Gibson Gallery in London, Ontario, showed his exhibition
120:(January 5, 1950 – September 21, 2022) was a Canadian sculptor of large sculptures, a painter and an installation artist who explored such themes as the environment, history and nature. His work was widely exhibited in Canada and the United States in public galleries and even in unconventional places, such as
167:
and others, he was a member of a group of young artists working as sculptors centred on Don Bonham and known as The Herman Goode
Aesthetic Racing Team (The A.R.T.). Theirs was an art of invention, a way to make the viewer consider the work of art as a part of the world around them. Benner took from
199:, polar bear, sea eagle, puma, white rhinoceros and the great auk. It embodied extensive research on Benner's part about the meanings of animals and nature symbols to older civilizations. A particular highlight was the surreal installation of
933:
851:
260:, Benner's "auto" show, composed of three full-size classic cars made by Benner which travelled to nine galleries across Canada and the United States. That same year, Benner began an eight-foot in diameter, 13-foot-high sphere
879:
706:
168:
the group a conviction about what constitutes an art object and the manner of its presentation. In time, his work would transform history itself into an imagined landscape.
598:
252:, that travelled across Canada and the U.S. from 2002 to 2007. Wood frame, hand-carved wood, steel, copper, aluminium, birch bark, deerskin, ceramic, paint.
984:
979:
180:
sculptures of rocks and boulders. In 1977, Sir George
Williams Art Galleries in Montreal hosted an exhibition of works by Benner and his artist brother,
768:
805:
999:
989:
943:
861:
840:
732:
311:
with a monumental sculpture, watercolours and what Benner calls "cased shrines" honouring marine animals. His last works were a life-sized
994:
500:
364:
889:
371:
218:, Benner also brought to light little-known or lost histories of Aboriginal identities in the Canadian narrative, such as
160:
77:
342:
195:, consisted of large-scale sculptures and linocut prints that depicted threatened or extinct wildlife, such as the
559:
332:
163:, London, Ontario in 1969, studying with Herb Ariss, Tom Coulter and Liz Biesiot. From 1970–1974, together with
231:
148:
121:
353:
347:
337:
328:
442:
974:
969:
786:
125:
939:
913:
885:
857:
836:
284:, resulting in a work that reflected the landscape paintings he grew up with, represented by
264:. He wanted to build pieces that were sculptures in simple, dramatic forms in the medium of
833:
Tom Benner: Call of the Wild - AbeBooks - Benner, Tom; Smart, Tom; Murray, Joan: 1897215290
140:
156:
129:
48:
750:
358:
289:
241:
203:(1986), a full-scale aluminum-clad sculpture of a rhinoceros now on the front lawn of
963:
377:
300:
293:
215:
204:
256:
In 2002, Catherine Elliot Shaw for the McIntosh
Gallery in London, Ontario, curated
164:
285:
80:, London, Ontario in 1969. Studied with Herb Ariss, Tom Coulter and Liz Biesiot
678:
384:
181:
177:
917:
415:
Benner died on
September 21, 2022, in London, Ontario. He was 72 years old.
151:, Toronto, Ontario, in 2008. Wood frame sheathed in copper and copper rivets.
196:
935:
Star Chief: A Postcard
Portrait of Tom Benner, Tom Benner: Call of the Wild
391:
Benner also has permanent installations of outdoor sculpture including the
907:
147:(2003–2004), consisting of three pieces, is pictured in a solo exhibit at
683:
124:
in
Toronto. He is associated with a movement in Canadian art known as
265:
176:
Benner's first shows concerned nature's products such as leaves and
226:(1993). A year later, he exhibited his full-size 600-pound copper
407:
at the D. B. Weldon
Library, Western University, London, Ontario.
240:
159:. He received a special arts diploma from the Beal art program at
139:
806:"Canadian artist known for eye-catching animal sculptures dies"
248:
is one of three automobiles (2000–2002) in Benner's solo show,
184:. In 1983, he created his first environmentally-oriented work,
660:
658:
478:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
707:"Tom Thomson exhibits offer a cornucopia of canadiana"
621:
619:
560:"Benner brothers' art most comfortable in galleries"
853:
A Personal
Reflection, Tom Benner: Call of the Wild
234:in Toronto and then toured it in 1998 in his show,
92:
84:
72:
56:
30:
23:
856:. London, Ontario: Museum London. pp. 41–50.
88:Large-scale sculptor, painter, installation artist
76:Special arts diploma from the Beal art program at
292:, and those made by his friends Roly Fenwick and
938:. London, Ontario: Museum London. p. 7–11.
831:Benner, Tom; Smart, Tom; Murray, Joan (2010).
664:
482:
8:
835:. Museum London; Beaverbrook Art Gallery.
20:
599:"Tom Benner's art inspired by real life"
437:
435:
433:
495:
493:
491:
429:
155:Benner was born on January 5, 1950, in
545:
299:Museum London held a major travelling
909:Canadian Art in the Twentieth Century
804:Dubinski, Kate (September 22, 2022).
649:
637:
625:
584:
533:
521:
367:, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
7:
713:. Owen Sound Sun Times, June 7, 2013
319:, both in a private art collection.
558:Nixon, Virginia (January 8, 1977).
985:21st-century Canadian male artists
980:20th-century Canadian male artists
443:"Tom Benner: Ice Formations, 2016"
128:, which took place in the city of
14:
881:Tom Benner – Cruising the Margins
403:at the Woodstock Art Gallery and
399:at Norfolk Arts Centre (Simcoe),
372:The University of Western Ontario
191:Benner's 1986 exhibition, titled
884:. London, ON: McIntosh Gallery.
449:. Michael Gibson Gallery, London
365:Confederation Centre Art Gallery
787:"Ontario icon vandalized again"
604:. Mississauga News, Nov 9, 1994
276:, a show in 2008. He added the
132:, where he was born and lived.
105:
679:"Tom Benner: Call of the Wild"
1:
1000:Canadian installation artists
990:Artists from London, Ontario
825:General and cited references
220:Tribute to Nahneebahweequay
161:H. B. Beal Secondary School
78:H. B. Beal Secondary School
16:Canadian artist (1950–2022)
1016:
773:collection.museumlondon.ca
343:Art Gallery of Mississauga
711:www.owensoundsuntimes.com
878:Kennedy, Arlene (2002).
210:In his 1996 show titled
995:Canadian male sculptors
733:"Art Gallery of Guelph"
67:London, Ontario, Canada
354:Art Gallery of Windsor
348:Art Gallery of Ontario
253:
152:
906:Murray, Joan (1999).
850:Graff, Terry (2010).
737:Art Gallery of Guelph
447:www.gibsongallery.com
383:Tom Thomson Gallery,
338:Art Gallery of Guelph
329:Art Gallery of Algoma
244:
143:
912:. Toronto: Dundurn.
501:"Thomas Earl Benner"
272:became the core for
258:Cruising the Margins
250:Cruising the Margins
932:Smart, Tom (2010).
186:Hanging Fin (Whale)
755:mcintoshgallery.ca
751:"Sculpture Garden"
665:Benner et al. 2010
483:Benner et al. 2010
395:at Museum London,
370:McIntosh Gallery,
323:Public collections
254:
153:
126:London Regionalism
118:Thomas Earl Benner
60:September 21, 2022
35:Thomas Earl Benner
945:978-1-897215-29-6
863:978-1-897215-29-6
842:978-1-897215-29-6
705:Langlois, Denis.
397:Rookery of Herons
374:, London, Ontario
315:and an oversized
115:
114:
1007:
956:
954:
952:
928:
926:
924:
902:
900:
898:
874:
872:
870:
846:
818:
817:
815:
813:
801:
795:
794:
783:
777:
776:
765:
759:
758:
747:
741:
740:
729:
723:
722:
720:
718:
702:
696:
695:
693:
691:
674:
668:
662:
653:
647:
641:
635:
629:
623:
614:
613:
611:
609:
603:
594:
588:
582:
576:
575:
573:
571:
555:
549:
543:
537:
531:
525:
519:
513:
512:
510:
508:
503:. Globe and Mail
497:
486:
480:
459:
458:
456:
454:
439:
401:The Ancient Ones
361:Art Bank, Ottawa
333:Sault Ste. Marie
305:Call of the Wild
109:
107:
63:
44:
42:
21:
1015:
1014:
1010:
1009:
1008:
1006:
1005:
1004:
960:
959:
950:
948:
946:
931:
922:
920:
905:
896:
894:
892:
877:
868:
866:
864:
849:
843:
830:
827:
822:
821:
811:
809:
803:
802:
798:
785:
784:
780:
767:
766:
762:
749:
748:
744:
731:
730:
726:
716:
714:
704:
703:
699:
689:
687:
676:
675:
671:
663:
656:
648:
644:
636:
632:
624:
617:
607:
605:
601:
597:Mclean, Sandy.
596:
595:
591:
583:
579:
569:
567:
557:
556:
552:
544:
540:
536:, pp. 7–8.
532:
528:
520:
516:
506:
504:
499:
498:
489:
481:
462:
452:
450:
441:
440:
431:
426:
421:
413:
405:Turkey Vultures
325:
174:
157:London, Ontario
138:
130:London, Ontario
111:
108: 1992)
103:
99:
98:Pauline McHenry
68:
65:
61:
52:
49:London, Ontario
46:
45:January 5, 1950
40:
38:
37:
36:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1013:
1011:
1003:
1002:
997:
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
962:
961:
958:
957:
944:
929:
903:
890:
875:
862:
847:
841:
826:
823:
820:
819:
796:
778:
760:
742:
724:
697:
669:
654:
642:
630:
615:
589:
577:
550:
548:, p. 247.
538:
526:
514:
487:
460:
428:
427:
425:
422:
420:
417:
412:
409:
389:
388:
381:
375:
368:
362:
359:Canada Council
356:
351:
345:
340:
335:
324:
321:
317:Sandhill Crane
309:Ice Formations
290:Group of Seven
173:
170:
137:
134:
113:
112:
101:
97:
96:
94:
90:
89:
86:
85:Known for
82:
81:
74:
70:
69:
66:
64:(aged 72)
58:
54:
53:
47:
34:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1012:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
967:
965:
947:
941:
937:
936:
930:
919:
915:
911:
910:
904:
893:
887:
883:
882:
876:
865:
859:
855:
854:
848:
844:
838:
834:
829:
828:
824:
812:September 22,
807:
800:
797:
792:
788:
782:
779:
774:
770:
769:"WHITE RHINO"
764:
761:
756:
752:
746:
743:
738:
734:
728:
725:
712:
708:
701:
698:
686:
685:
680:
677:Benner, Tom.
673:
670:
667:, p. 20.
666:
661:
659:
655:
652:, p. 47.
651:
646:
643:
640:, p. 37.
639:
634:
631:
628:, p. 43.
627:
622:
620:
616:
600:
593:
590:
587:, p. 46.
586:
581:
578:
565:
561:
554:
551:
547:
542:
539:
535:
530:
527:
523:
518:
515:
507:September 23,
502:
496:
494:
492:
488:
485:, p. 51.
484:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
461:
448:
444:
438:
436:
434:
430:
423:
418:
416:
411:Personal life
410:
408:
406:
402:
398:
394:
386:
382:
379:
378:Museum London
376:
373:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
355:
352:
349:
346:
344:
341:
339:
336:
334:
330:
327:
326:
322:
320:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
301:retrospective
297:
295:
294:Paterson Ewen
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
251:
247:
243:
239:
237:
236:Tour of Bison
233:
232:Union Station
229:
225:
221:
217:
216:Museum London
213:
208:
206:
205:Museum London
202:
198:
194:
189:
187:
183:
179:
171:
169:
166:
162:
158:
150:
149:Union Station
146:
142:
135:
133:
131:
127:
123:
122:Union Station
119:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
59:
55:
50:
33:
29:
22:
19:
949:. Retrieved
934:
923:February 14,
921:. Retrieved
908:
895:. Retrieved
880:
867:. Retrieved
852:
832:
810:. Retrieved
799:
790:
781:
772:
763:
754:
745:
736:
727:
715:. Retrieved
710:
700:
688:. Retrieved
682:
672:
645:
633:
606:. Retrieved
592:
580:
570:September 8,
568:. Retrieved
566:. p. 34
563:
553:
541:
529:
524:, p. 7.
517:
505:. Retrieved
451:. Retrieved
446:
414:
404:
400:
396:
392:
390:
316:
312:
308:
304:
303:exhibition,
298:
281:
277:
273:
269:
261:
257:
255:
249:
245:
235:
227:
223:
219:
211:
209:
200:
192:
190:
185:
175:
165:Murray Favro
154:
144:
117:
116:
62:(2022-09-21)
18:
975:2022 deaths
970:1950 births
791:Toronto Sun
564:The Gazette
546:Murray 1999
393:White Rhino
286:Tom Thomson
274:A Landscape
222:(1988) and
201:White Rhino
145:A Landscape
136:Early years
964:Categories
891:0771423462
808:. CBC News
650:Graff 2010
638:Graff 2010
626:Graff 2010
585:Graff 2010
534:Smart 2010
522:Smart 2010
419:References
385:Owen Sound
313:Polar Bear
193:A Response
182:Ron Benner
178:fibreglass
41:1950-01-05
25:Tom Benner
918:260193722
424:Citations
387:, Ontario
380:, Ontario
350:, Toronto
197:fin whale
73:Education
288:and the
280:and the
278:Red Pine
224:Tecumseh
212:Tecumseh
51:, Canada
951:July 4,
897:July 9,
869:July 4,
717:July 7,
690:July 5,
684:YouTube
608:July 3,
453:July 5,
246:Pontiac
110:
102:
942:
916:
888:
860:
839:
282:Coyote
268:. The
266:copper
172:Career
93:Spouse
602:(PDF)
228:Bison
214:, at
104:(
100:
953:2020
940:ISBN
925:2021
914:OCLC
899:2020
886:ISBN
871:2020
858:ISBN
837:ISBN
814:2022
719:2020
692:2020
610:2020
572:2020
509:2022
455:2020
270:Moon
262:Moon
57:Died
31:Born
230:in
966::
789:.
771:.
753:.
735:.
709:.
681:.
657:^
618:^
562:.
490:^
463:^
445:.
432:^
331:,
296:.
238:.
207:.
106:m.
955:.
927:.
901:.
873:.
845:.
816:.
793:.
775:.
757:.
739:.
721:.
694:.
612:.
574:.
511:.
457:.
43:)
39:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
