Benjamin Lai is a craftsman based in New York City who specializes in creating experiential textures. Rejecting traditional compositional constraints, his work adheres strictly to the ethos of "truth to materials"—a philosophy where the final form is dictated entirely by the inherent qualities of the medium itself. By interweaving distinct layers and techniques into a cohesive singularity, Lai builds tension within a mostly monochromatic palette. It is through this deliberate contrast of hard and soft, rough and smooth, that his textures find their unique character and depth.

Benjamin credits his current path to deeply systematic roots. Beginning in high school, he earned several awards for figurative pastel drawing. While studying interior design at New York City's School of Visual Arts he started part-timing as a decorative painter in 1992. Following his time at SVA, he relocated to Saint-Gilles, Belgium, to train under the legendary Clément Van Der Kelen at the world-renowned Institut Supérieur de Peinture Van der Kelen-Logelain. There, he underwent rigorous, intensive training in traditional and classical applications, heavily focusing on the arts of marbling, woodgraining, and trompe l’oeil.

Benjamin grew up in Sheapshead Bay/Gravesend, Brooklyn. He has a laboratory in Midtown Manhattan and surfs Rockaways.