Beat the Covid Blues with Ben Tankard: Nostalgic Monopoly Inspired Art

2020 is the year of staying home. It’s very likely that at some point since the start of COVID-19 restrictions you or someone close to you has suggested playing a good old fashioned board game. If you are one of the 1 billion odd people who own a Monopoly board game, there is big chance you have rummaged through the back of your games shelf to dust off the old community chest cards and then had the argument over who is always the racing car and who is always the beloved winning dog. 

Monopoly is one of those special games which bring a sense of nostalgia whenever most people hear it mentioned. With most if us harking back to homely and slow paced lifestyles this year, it seems that Monopoly, Scrabble and even UNO have been welcomed at the family dining tables once again. 

Ben Tankard is directly inspired by this kind of nostalgia. His familiar and fun imagery reminds us all of great pastimes shared with families or friends. During COVID his paintings have been particularly influenced by the pop culture and trends emerging through 2020. 

“I take popular imagery from classic sources and re-interpret it visually with expressive brushwork, thick layers of paint, splatters and drips. The text is often altered too, to give the paintings a new and often ironic or subversive message. The juxtaposition of classic imagery and unexpected text can be a source of humour and creates a nice dynamic.” Ben Tankard

Many of the paintings delivered today to KAB Gallery Terrigal combine elements of both the good and the bad of Covid-19 life as we have come to know it. See them now or purchase online here at KABGallery.com 

Each painting is on stretched canvas, with painted edges ready to hang without needing to be framed. They have a gloss varnish and are signed on the back. The paint is richly textured and the brushwork of the background free and energetic, creating a counterpoint to the more rigid black lines of the figures.

A fun pop image that will look great in any room!

Call the KAB Gallery Team on 1300 78 7773 (OR +61243125114 if you are located outside of Australia). Alternatively email us at [email protected] or visit the Terrigal Gallery open 7 days from 10am.  

About the author

Kerry-Anne Blanket

Director & Curator - KAB Gallery

KAB Gallery’s Kerry-Anne Blanket holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts and two Masters degrees (Hons) from the University of Sydney. With an extensive career in art education along with the management of museums and investment art galleries, Kerry-Anne can offer premier art consulting to her clients and source specially requested works. 

She has a keen eye for detail, comprehensive art market knowledge and a love of all things beautiful. Kerry-Anne works directly with artists and collectors alike to curate interesting and eclectic exhibitions.