EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella’s half-brother Ben was 16 years old when he was stabbed to death in 2008 by three older teenagers, however his art now lives on in a new exhibit
Former EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella and The Ben Kinsella Trust has helped unveil a powerful new artwork by David Beckham’s former personal hairstylist, Aidan Phelan, surrounding knife crime in the UK. Brooke’s half-brother Ben was 16 years old when he was stabbed to death in 2008 by three men.
With the recent release of Netflix’s Adolescence, which explores the rise of misogyny in young boys as a 13-year-old boy named Jamie Miller is accused of murdering his schoolmate, it’s more important than ever to have discussions on youth violence and knife crime in the UK. The new exhibition at Grove Gallery in Fitzrovia, London, incorporates the late Ben Kinsella’s own GCSE artwork, including his Birds of Peace, which was painted a few months before his death.
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It also features excerpts from Ben’s letter to then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, urging action against the rising knife crime epidemic.
Paying tribute to her brother, Brooke also placed her handprint on a secondary piece. The moving artwork will be available to see at the gallery for four weeks. It will then be moved to The Ben Kinsella Trust’s workshops.
Speaking about the exhibition, Ben’s mother, Deborah, said: “Ben’s passion for art started at a very early age—he was always painting or creating something.
“He earned an A in his GCSE Art and dreamed of becoming a Graphic Designer. We have no doubt he would have achieved this.
“Our family is humbled that Aidan and Grove Gallery are using Ben’s bird drawing as a symbol of hope. We hope this piece can inspire others and create a lasting impact for future generations.”
Artist Aidan said: “Having lived in London for over 20 years, I’ve seen a lot. On a personal level, I’ve experienced both incredible highs and deep lows, and this new collection is a reflection on society today.
“Knife crime is an issue that is deeply personal to me, and with all of my projects, giving back is at the heart of what I do. Supporting the incredible work of the Ben Kinsella Trust has been an absolute honour.”
The late Ben was only 16 years old when he was stabbed to death by three older boys on June 29 2008. He was the 17th teenager to be killed in London that year.
He was at a local pub celebrating the end of his GCSEs with his pals but were chased down and killed by three older teenagers.
The boys were seeking revenge after they had an altercation in the club that had taken place earlier that evening.
Ben and his friends had absolutely nothing to do with the altercations, but when the older boys caught up with Ben, in an entirely unprovoked attack, they stabbed him to death.
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