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Michael Simpson

Painting almost daily for over six decades, Michael Simpson is renowned for his large-scale paintings that repeatedly work through a limited number of motifs. Influenced by fifteenth century Venetian and early Flemish painting, Simpson’s visual vocabulary returns again and again to a belief in “the infamy of religious history”, in his words. These motifs that potently address faith, existentialism and authority - benches, steps and ladders, pulpits, Islamic minbars, and confessional boxes - are the foundational forms of his precise pared down compositions. These structures are rendered with a forensic level of detail, but in such a way that they also become pure forms: benches levitate on an empty plane; ladders lead to nowhere. Simpson’s paintings are characterised by his potent economy and austerity, as well as a marked depth in spatial perspective; their subjects painted on a flat painted surface. But despite their austerity and simplicity, each of Simpson’s paintings contains an elaborate consideration of a specific history. In his Leper Squint series, for example, what might first appear to be a recurring reference to the black square of Kazimir Malevich, is in fact a poignant depiction of a hagioscope, or a ‘squint’; a small hole positioned in the exterior walls of medieval churches for the purpose of allowing lepers to see and hear the sacraments without contaminating the congregation. In another example, Simpson’s ongoing bench paintings, which he started painting in 1989, are an homage to the Italian Renaissance philosopher Giordano Bruno, who was burnt alive in 1600 for heresy.

Michael Simpson was born in Dorset in 1940 and lives and works in Wiltshire. Simpson has presented solo exhibitions at Holburne Museum, Bath (2023); giant, Bournemouth (2022); Minsheng Museum of Art, Shanghai (2018); Spike Island, Bristol (2016); David Roberts Arts Foundation, London (2014); Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol (1996 and 1983); and Serpentine Gallery, London (1985). He has participated in group exhibitions at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek (2021); Hayward Gallery, London (2019); Museum Moderner, Künst, Stiftung, Ludwig, Wein, Vienna (2018); Limerick City Gallery of Art (2017); Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool; Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania (both 2016); Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (1999); and Serpentine Gallery, London (1987). In 2016, he was awarded the John Moores Painting Prize, having first been nominated for the prize in 1991. His works feature in prominent institutional collections including British Council, London; Roberts Institute of Art, London; Long Museum, Shanghai; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek; Tate, London; and Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

Press
Biography
New Paintings, Modern Art, 2024
Bench Painting 79, 2022-23
oil on canvas, 244 × 420 cm, 96 × 165 3/8 in
1/4
Confessional No. 21, 2023
oil on canvas, 230 x 300 cm, 90 1/2 x 118 1/8 in
1/3
Reader, 2023
oil on canvas, 382 × 183 cm, 150 3/8 × 72 in
1/3
Untitled, n.d.
oil on canvas, 244.5 x 428.2 cm, 96 1/4 x 168 5/8 in
1/3
Kiosk Confessional No.33, 2023
oil on canvas, 283 x 160.5 cm, 111 3/8 x 63 1/4 in
1/4
Confessional 15, 2012-15
oil on canvas, 245 x 388 cm, 96 1/2 x 152 3/4 in
1/3
Confessional No.18, 2022-23
oil on canvas, 244 x 518.5 cm, 96 x 204 1/8 in
1/4
Bench Painting 73, 2009
oil on canvas, 245 × 518 cm, 96 1/2 × 204 in
1/3
Squint (Unnumbered), 2017
oil on canvas, 240 x 130 cm, 94 1/2 x 51 1/8 in
1/3
Minbar (Pulpit), 2015
oil on canvas, 535 x 240 cm, 210 5/8 x 94 1/2 in
1/2
Bench Painting 72, 2009
oil on canvas, 244 x 518 cm, 96 x 204 in
1/3
Squint 62, 2018-19
oil on canvas, 245 x 517.5 cm, 96 1/2 x 203 3/4 in
1/3
Bench Painting 63, 2007
oil on canvas, 244 x 534 cm, 96 x 210 1/4 in
1/3
Squint 77, 2022
oil on canvas, 230 x 108 cm, 90 1/2 x 42 1/2 in
1/3
Bench Painting 54, 1998-2001
oil on canvas, 237 x 519 cm, 93 1/4 x 204 3/8 in
1/3
Drawing for Bruno Resurrect, 2020
gouache, charcoal, indian ink on paper, 44.5 x 44.5 cm, 17 1/2 x 17 1/2 in
1/3
Squint Drawing, n.d.
oil paint on cardboard, 38.2 x 58 cm, 15 1/8 x 22 7/8 in
1/2
Confessional Drawing, 2019
ink, gouache, french chalk, oil paint on paper, 49.5 x 28.5 cm, 19 1/2 x 11 1/4 in
1/2
Flat Surface Painting, Spike Island, Bristol, 2016
Squint 62, 2018-19

Press

Artforum1 April 2024
Art in America1 November 2019
Studio International1 October 2019
Art Review1 September 2017
Guardian1 July 2016
Frieze1 January 2016
Artforum1 April 2007

Biography

Michael Simpson

Born in Dorset, 1940 Lives and works in Wiltshire

Education

1960-63
Royal College of Art
London
1958-60
Bournemouth College of Art
Bournemouth

Solo Exhibitions

2025
Drawing towards Painting
Modern Art, London (forthcoming)
Drawing towards Painting
American Art Catalogues, New York, NY, USA (forthcoming)
2024
New Paintings
Modern Art, London
2023
Drawing Towards PaintingHolburne Museum, Bath
Paintings
Arario Gallery, Shanghai, China
2022
PaintingsGIANT, Bournemouth
Squint Paintings
Arco, Madrid, Spain
2021
Nosbaum Reding
Luxembourg
2019
New Paintings
Blain Southern, London
2018
Selected Works of Michael Simpson
Minsheng Museum of Art, Shanghai, China
2017
Squint
Blain Southern, Berlin, Germany
2016
Flat Surface Painting
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Flat Surface PaintingSpike Island, Bristol
2014
Study #6
David Roberts Arts Foundation, London
2013
The Leper Squint Paintings
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2007
Bench Paintings, Recent Work 2005 – 2006
David Risley Gallery, London
2005
Hymn . Psalm . Song . Prayer - Bench Paintings
The Tithe Barn and The Old Gasworks, Bradford on Avon
1996
Bench Paintings 1992-1995Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, travelling to: Oriel 31, Newtown
1985
PaintingsSerpentine Gallery, London
1983
Paintings 1980-1983Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol
1973
Six large paintings
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Bristol
1972
Paintings and Drawings
Piccadilly Gallery, London
1968
Paintings
University of Sussex, Sussex
Michael Simpson
Piccadilly Gallery, London
1964
Paintings and Drawings
Piccadilly Gallery, London

Group Exhibitions

2024
The Principal Cause of Serial Monogamy
Tara Downs, New York, NY, USA
Spotlight On 3: Modern and Contemporary Art from the Collection
Chippenham Museum, Chippenham
2023
Modern Art
Paris, France
2021
New AcquisitionsLouisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark
Of Clocks and Clouds
Palfrey Gallery, London
2020
Words
Simon Lee Gallery, London
2019
Slow Paintingcurated by Martin Herbert, Hayward Gallery, London, travelling to: Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds; Livinsky Gallery, Plymouth; The Edge, Bath; and Inverness Museum and Gallery, Inverness
2018
Class Reunion, works from the Gaby & Wilhelm Schürmann Collection
Museum Moderner, Künst, Stiftung, Ludwig, Wein, Vienna, Austria
Doodle & Disegno
Blain Southern, Berlin, Germany
2016
Shall we Sit, Stand or Kneel?
with Hannah Levy, curated by Wills Baker, Marlborough Contemporary, New York, NY, USA
Revolt of the Sage
Blain Southern, London
John Moores Painting Prize
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Tightrope Walk: Painted Images After Abstraction
curated by Barry Schwabsky, White Cube, London
The Painting Showorganised by the British Council, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania, travelling to: Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick, Ireland and Aram Art Gallery, Goyang Cultural Foundation, Korea
On the Immense and the Numberless
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2015
Absence. Looking for Hammershoi
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2013
The Debris of the Fuck drawings 1970 – 74
Serge Stauffer: Kunst Als Forschung, Helmhaus, Zurich
2009
The Paper Show
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2007
Citadel 1: Front Room/Killing Room
David Risley Gallery, London
2005
Accidental Death
David Risley Gallery, London
Crivelli’s Nail
Chapter Gallery, Cardiff
2001
Jerwood Open Drawing Exhibition
EICH Gallery, Kingston upon Hull, travelling to: Kunsthalle Sierre, Sierre, Switzerland
1999
On the Threshold
Octagon Gallery, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
1998
East International
Norwich
1993
John Moores 18
Liverpool
1991
John Moores 17
Liverpool
1989
John Moores 16
Liverpool
1987
On a Plate
Serpentine Gallery, London
1982
British Drawing
Hayward Gallery, London
1977
Tolly Cobbald Open
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, travelling to: Sheffield; Ipswich; London
1975
Chichester National Open
Chichester
1971
John Player Open
Nottingham
1968
Fine Art for Industry
Royal College of Art, London
1968 Open Painting Exhibition
The Arts Council Gallery, Belfast
Ten English Art Galleries
Florence, Italy
1964
New Painting 1961-64
Arts Council Touring Exhibition
Three Young Painters from The Royal College of Art
University of Southampton, Southampton
1963
Contemporary Image
Upper Grosvenor Gallery, London
Young Contemporaries 1963
F.B.A. Galleries, London, travelling to: Arts Council Gallery, Cambridge; Ferens Art Gallery, Kingston upon Hull; Midland Group Gallery, Nottingham; Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne; Bradford City Art Gallery, Bradford
The London Group 1963
Art Federation Galleries, London
1962
Painting from English Art Schools
Paris, France
1961
New Painting 1958-61
Arts Council Touring Exhibition
1960
University of London
London
1959
Young Contemporaries 1959
The Arts Council Gallery, Cambridge, travelling to: Blackburn Art Gallery, Blackburn, Powysland Museum, Welshpool; Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery, Maidstone
Recent Acquisitions
Arts Council Touring Exhibition

Selected Collections

Arts Council England
London
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Bristol
British Council
London
Camden Borough Council
London
Chippenham Museum
Chippenham
Det Nye Universitets Hospital
Aarhus, Denmark
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Humlebaek, Denmark
Royal College of Art
London
Tate
London
Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery
Carlisle
Ulster Museum and Art Gallery
Belfast
Walker Museum and Art Gallery
Liverpool