Steve DiBenedetto (b. 1958, New York, NY; lives and works in New York City) is known for his densely layered, intricate compositions that teeter between figuration and abstraction. Working both additively and reductively, he approaches painting as an accumulative and often “archaeological” process, allowing forms to emerge, erode, and transform over time. His compositions frequently center on hybrid, biomorphic figures that fuse bodily imagery with invented structural systems, hovering at the edge of recognition. He utilizes a number of recurring motifs throughout his work including, helicopters, octopuses, ferris wheels, and glass office towers. Across his work, DiBenedetto cultivates a visual language of organic oddities, pre-linguistic forms, and sprawling networks of marks that suggest psychological, anatomical, and speculative worlds. Guided by what he has described as a form of “procedural painting,” his practice embraces improvisation and disassociation, allowing imagery to develop through an intuitive dialogue with the material. The resulting paintings balance luminous, often acidic color with dense, tactile surfaces, evoking a tension between inner psychodrama and external reality.
He holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design.
DiBenedetto has been exhibiting at the Gallery since 2002. DiBenedetto has had numerous solo exhibitions including at Arthur Roger Gallery, New Orleans (2024); Galerie Sardine, Amagansett (2024); David Nolan Gallery, New York (2023); Le Consortium and Academy Conti, Dijon, France (2019); and galerie frank elbaz, Paris, France (2019). He has also been included in group exhibitions at Eric Firestone Gallery, New York (2026); Art Cake, New York (2025); Analog Diary, Beacon (2023); and David Nolan Gallery, New York City (2019). DiBenedetto’s works can be seen in public collections at the Morgan Library & Museum, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.