CHICAGO, IL.- The Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago presents Ben Gest, on view through December 22, 2006. Although seamless, Chicago-based artist Ben Gest’s (USA, b. 1975) photographs are constructed from dozens if not hundreds of digital photographs. The result is a composition that in its subtle exaggeration of space is akin to Mannerist painting. In his new body of work, Gest turns from photographing groups of people to individuals. As formal portraits taken at informal moments, the sitters are caught in fleeting but nonetheless deep bouts of introspection. More than illustrate the sitter's psychology, Gest's new photographs capture the demeanor given to private thought as it marks the withdrawal from a public self.

Ben Gest has exhibited nationally, including a solo exhibition in the 12x12 New Artists/New Work series at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. His work is in the collections of The Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the LaSalle Bank Photography Collection. Gest currently works as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College, Chicago.