John Simpson
John Simpson’s prints and drawings fuse image meaning and medium to explore our relationship with the natural world.
The process and examination of drawing is at the core of his practice. Often abandoning the control of the studio and working with public collaborators, he embraces an element of chaos and the natural mutations which occur in printmaking. This symbiotic process is one way in which his work looks to biology to explore our relationship with nature. The frequent use of natural materials like earth and recycled timber reflects both the subject and the wild nature of these works.
John’s latest works, made during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, reflect the time he spent exploring local woodlands with his young twin daughters whilst seeking refuge from their city apartment. The prints evolved from being continuously immersed in this environment. The process and materials directly relate to the physicality and texture of these hidden spaces.
John Simpson has exhibited at major UK institutions as well as internationally with solo exhibitions in London, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo. He has led interactive printmaking and drawing projects at Spike Island, Bristol and at Tate Modern in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
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'John Simpson has a wonderfully fluent and flowing drawing style which lends itself particularly well to his chosen medium, monotypes.
His control of this wayward process is remarkable, and this, combined with his sensitive and poetic imagination and his empathy with his subject matter produces powerful and inforgettable images.'
Gerald Laing
