Eben Haines

Eben Haines' (he/him) works investigate the life of objects, emphasizing the constructed nature of history. Through figures and objects pictured against cinematic backdrops or in otherworldly settings, his paintings and installations suggest the passage of time and volatility. Set within displaced domestic structures, recent works consider themes such as climate change and systemic housing insecurity before and during the pandemic, exploring the illusionistic systems of privilege our society employs to mete out human rights like shelter, food, and healthcare. Comets race across the skies of bucolic landscapes, dying candles float before Roman portrait busts who stand in for the corrupting force of unchecked power.

Haines was born in Boston, MA in 1990, and he received his BFA with honors from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2013. Haines was a recipient of the 2018 Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship in Drawing, as well as the 2021 James and Audrey Foster Prize from the ICA Boston.

Check out Eben’s website and follow him on Instagram.