Art on a Postcard x St Wilfrid's Hospice: The Postcards II

About 

Simonsen's obsession for flora and fauna is attributed to his Scandinavian roots due to the region’s long-standing tradition for art, design and architecture inspired by natural forms. He is also fascinated by elements of the French 'Rococo' style, especially its lack of structure, and the way it embraced the bizarre and beautiful, opulently celebrating the organic and the sensuous. This influence can be seen in works such as tapestry (2008) & in-between (2008) where he uses repetitive motifs resembling those found in the period. Inspired by the stories of his compatriot, Hans Christian Andersen, Simonsen interweaves dark and humerus elements of fairytale onto particular works. Innocently beautiful depictions of Hemlock, Henbane and Black Berry, are dressed with name tags resembling gift cards or the 'eat me' 'drink me' labels of Alice in Wonderland. A dangerous distraction to their true poisonous, psychoactive and thorny motives. Rather than serving as illustrations, the paintings borrow from Andersen’s tales to subtly hint at the prevailing folly of the human condition. “For me personally the draw of the subject matter is its inexhaustible richness and metaphorical ability to speak of human existence. Of life, passion and the brevity of existence.” 

Education  

2003 - 2004   
Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, UK (MA)  
 
1999  
Six months residency, Venice, Italy  
 
1996 - 08/12  
Montclaire University, New York, USA  
 
1995 - 1999  
Exeter Collage of Art and Design, Exeter, UK (BA)  
 
1994 - 1995  
Krabbesholm Skole for billedkunst, Skive, Denmark 

Select Exhibitions/Awards 

Solo Exhibitions  
2022/04  
Findlays Galleries, Palm Beach, USA 
  
2019/11  
Findlays Galleries, New York, USA  
 
2018/02  
Findlays Galleries, Palm Beach, USA  
 
2015/10  
Findlays Galleries, New York, USA  
 
2014/11  
Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, DK  
 
2014/02  
Wally Findlay, Palm Beach, USA  
 
2012/10  
Wally Findlay, New York, USA  
 
2012/05  
Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, DK  
 
2011/10  
Opus Gallery, Newcastle, UK 
  
2011/10  
Customs House, Newcastle, UK  
 
2009/05  
Beaux Arts, Bath, UK  
 
2008/07  
Forster Gallery, London, UK  
 
2006/04  
Royal Opera House, London, UK  

Gallery Representation 

Findlay Galleries (New York and Palm Beach, USA). Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark. 

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