Kajahl Benes was born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA. In fall 2008 he received a BFA from San Francisco State University and spent his final year studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze, Italy. In addition to his artistic pursuit, he played on the University basketball team. In fall 2009, he enrolled in the MFA program at Hunter College, from which he will be graduating in the spring of 2012.

Kajahl Benes lives in Brooklyn and works in Manhattan, New York.

Education

• 2012   MFA Painting, Hunter College, New York, NY                                                             
• 2008   Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, Firenze, Italia
• 2008   BFA Painting, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

Solo and Group Exhibitions

• 2012   University North Carolina Wilmington Arts Gallery, Wilmington, NC (Solo)
• Hunter College MFA Thesis, Times Square Gallery, New York, NY
• 30 Americans Next Generation, Contemporary Wing, Washington, DC
• Voices of Home, Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York, NY
• 2011   The Black Portrait, Rush Arts, New York, NY
• 2009   Jazz!, Art 94124, San Francisco, CA
• 2008   Strictly Bayview, Art 94124, San Francisco, CA

Awards, Honors and Lectures

• 2011   Focus & Motivation Lecture, Hunter College, New York, NY
• Sotheby’s Art for Africa Auction, Sotheby’s, New York, NY
•  Jo Baer, Public Seminar, Hunter College, New York, NY
• 2006    Leo D. Stillwell, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
• 2005    Urania Cummings Memorial Scholarship, San Francisco State University