Ben Jeffery Artwork Mad Max Limited Edition Print By Artist Ben Jeffery Only 75 Produced

Mad Max Limited Edition Print By Artist Ben Jeffery Only 75 Produced

After seeing the amazing artwork and meeting Ben Jeffery, I was inspired and so excited to work with him and the team at Buckingham Fine Arts on our first project, Mad Max.

We are only producing 75 prints worldwide—an exclusive edition of studio edition canvas prints.

• Image Size: 40 x 100cm

• Framed in Matt Black: 60.8 x 120.8cm

• Numbered COA

• Embellished by Ben Jeffery

The Artist

In 2024, it will be the 45th anniversary of the first Mad Max film.

Ben Jeffery was born in 1986 and grew up in Barnet, North London. He developed a keen interest in art from a young age after his grandfather introduced him to the work of John Varley, the renowned 18th-century watercolour artist, as the Varleys are related to the Jeffery family.

Ben realized he wanted to be an artist in secondary school. He and his classmates would have friendly bets to see who could draw the best portrait, and he enjoyed showing off his work to see their reactions. He painted a portrait of his dad for a mock GCSE exam, which was admired by the entire art class.

He continued to study art at the degree level. Although he received guidance throughout the years, his technique is mostly self-taught. At college and university, he was often left to his own devices, given a subject and asked to develop a portfolio of work leading to final images. Since teachers did not focus on teaching techniques, Ben had to learn on his own.

He always wanted to paint with oils and create colourful, detailed paintings, though his tutors did not always appreciate this approach. However, his classmates were often impressed with his work. Over time, Ben developed his own mark-making techniques with oil paints through trial and error. His style has continued to evolve, as many of his paintings take shape as he works on them.

Ben usually has a basic composition in mind, but he allows his brush to define shapes and chooses colours on the spot. Sometimes, he sees an image in his mind and quickly sketches it out. His process typically involves two stages: first, he paints the entire canvas in base colours, then, after it has dried, he adds a second layer with more detail. Once a painting is complete, he leaves it for a day or two before reviewing it again, allowing him to make any necessary changes.

His work is diverse, ranging from portraits to landscapes, using both pencil and oil paints. He enjoys working with vivid, bright colours to create a unique, modern style.

A huge sci-fi movie fan, Ben has always been fascinated by special effects. After finishing university, he considered becoming a concept artist for films and video games. While he experimented with digital painting and achieved great results, he found that traditional paint has a depth and feel that digital art cannot replicate. He still looks at concept artwork online for inspiration.

Ben also draws inspiration from his surroundings. His parents have homes in the Herefordshire countryside and on the Isle of Harris, both of which offer stunning views that spark his creativity.

The Film

Set in a near-future dystopian Australia, Mad Max depicts a society on the verge of collapse due to widespread oil shortages and environmental destruction.

Motorbike gang member Crawford “Nightrider” Montazano kills a rookie officer of the poorly funded Main Force Patrol (MFP), one of the last remaining law enforcement agencies. He escapes with his girlfriend in the dead officer’s Pursuit Special. Nightrider manages to elude the MFP until top pursuit officer Max Rockatansky forces him into a roadblock, resulting in a fiery crash that kills both Nightrider and his girlfriend.

At the MFP garage, Max is shown his new police car: a specially built, V8-powered, supercharged black Pursuit Special. His superior, Captain Fred “Fifi” Macaffee, and Police Commissioner Labatouche discuss how the new car was authorized to bribe Max, who is growing weary of police work, into staying on the force.

Nightrider’s gang, led by Toecutter and Bubba Zanetti, wreaks havoc on a town—vandalizing property, stealing fuel, and terrorizing residents. A young couple tries to escape, but the gang destroys their car and assaults them. Max and fellow officer Jim “Goose” Rains arrest Toecutter’s young protégé, Johnny the Boy, at the scene. However, no witnesses come forward in court, and Johnny is deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. Against Goose’s furious objections, Johnny is released into Bubba’s custody.

That night, Johnny sabotages Goose’s police motorbike, causing it to lock up at high speed the next day. Goose is thrown off the road but escapes uninjured. He borrows a ute to haul his bike back to MFP headquarters, but on the way, Johnny throws a brake drum through his windshield, causing another crash. Under Toecutter’s orders, Johnny sets Goose’s wrecked vehicle on fire, burning him alive.

After seeing Goose’s charred body in the hospital, Max informs Fifi that he is resigning from the MFP to preserve his sanity. Fifi convinces him to take time off before making a final decision, so Max goes on a trip with his wife, Jessie, and their infant son, Sprog.

During their travels, Jessie and Sprog encounter Toecutter’s gang while getting ice cream. She escapes, and the family flees to a remote farm owned by their friend, May Swaisey. However, the gang follows them, capturing Sprog while Max is out searching for them. May helps Jessie rescue her son, and they attempt to escape in their van, but it soon breaks down. Jessie runs down the road with Sprog in her arms, but the gang catches up and runs them over. Sprog is killed instantly, while Jessie is left in a coma.

Driven to vengeance, Max dons his police uniform, takes the Pursuit Special without authorization, and hunts down the gang. He eliminates several members before being ambushed by Toecutter, Bubba, and Johnny. Bubba shoots Max in the leg and runs over his arm before Max retaliates, shooting Bubba with a sawn-off shotgun. Toecutter and Johnny flee, but Max chases them. He forces Toecutter into the path of an oncoming truck, killing him instantly.

Max later finds Johnny looting a dead motorist’s belongings. Ignoring Johnny’s desperate pleas of innocence, Max handcuffs him to the wrecked vehicle and sets up a crude time-delay fuse using leaking petrol and Johnny’s lighter. He tells Johnny he can either saw through the handcuffs, which will take ten minutes, or saw through his ankle, which will take five. As Max drives away, the vehicle explodes.