Joe Simpson Profile Piece: Part Two

Musician Portraits, featuring Justin Young of The Vaccines

The cinematic pieces present in Almost There aren’t all that Simpson can do. His most successful undertaking is undoubtedly the Musician Portraits series, last year. The collection of paintings were of 22 musicians – all of which Simpson was a big fan of. “I had to use some serious Google skills and write persuasive emails. It was often hard getting around management and to ask the musicians directly.”

Throughout the process of getting in touch with his subjects, Simpson came across a pleasant surprise. “I went to see Newton Faulkner at his house and hung out with him for a little bit,” he says. “His heavily pregnant girlfriend came in and I realised that I used to sit next to her at college. I haven’t spoken to her, so I had no idea there was any connection. It was quite surreal.”

Originally the exhibition was held at a pop-up gallery, in Soho. Now it’s going to be shown at the Royal Albert Hall later this year. When I ask him how this opportunity came about, he answers that he was lucky as “somebody from the Royal Albert Hall just happened to pass and had a look - they were really keen for it and they’re going to put it on.” The opening night of the exhibition is even going to include a spoken word session from musician (and one of the subjects) Scroobius Pip.

Whilst waiting for the space in Soho to be ready, Simpson wasted no time and started another project, Everything Is Electrified. He decided to use the obscure subject of pylons – an intentional choice, in order to be able to use minimal source material and no sitters. “I’ve always been interested in bold skies and clouds and started to make landscapes,” adds Simpson. “I wanted to contrast the sprawling natural shapes of the skies with straight, formal and rigid imagery – I want these grand skies, punctuated by these manmade structures. They feel quite cinematic – like they appear in a Spielberg movie.”

Everything Is Electrified

Despite the reaction to Everything Is Electrified as being “oddly positive”, Simpson’s strengths lie in people. His Tumblr website, The Mistakes We Knew We Were Making, is used as “a way of logging images that interest me in some way; to keep as an almost scrapbook.” These images are mostly of people in a melancholy state. It’s this kind of feeling that usually drives Simpson’s work. “It’s a mood that keeps the journey interesting and I think that pain kind of works well within images,” he answers. “You know, because paintings are still and there’s a long time to create it. I think it just fits with the medium. Being slow and measured and just kind of drawn out, it speaks to the process a bit more.”

By always relying on heavyhearted emotions for his art, Simpson looks for light relief in his side projects. “I’m doing little bits and bobs. I’m working on something for a Scroobius Pip t-shirt, painting a portrait of a model - Nina Kenny. I’m also working on a TV advert and making a short film, called Elliot.”

With just under two months left until he leaves for America, does Simpson have any plans on a project to follow? “No, I think that [Across America] will take a considerable amount of time. When I worked on a commission for P&O, I went to New York for 3 days and took loads of photographs. Those kept me painting for at least 6/7 months,” recalls Simpson. “I think it’s good to have a bit of a break and a step back and think.”

Check out Joe's work here

Joe Simpson Profile Piece: Part One

As part of a university assignment, I spoke to London-based artist (and Rosy Glasses favourite) Joe Simpson. Here's part one of a profile piece I wrote...

Joe Simpson

“I think there will be moments of horrible loneliness, but that might make for some interesting art along the way” says Joe Simpson. We are tucked away in the corner of the Ritzy Café in Brixton, where Simpson is based, sipping on our coffees.

Discussion starts with his new project, Across America – documenting his trip around the states through paintings, sketches and photographs. When he returns to the UK, he will develop these into larger oil paintings.

“America seemed like the best place for this project,” Simpson says. “The artists I looked at, like Edward Hopper, include a lot of movie references and are quite cinematic. It’s that kind of art that I want to create and have those American themes.”

The project is being run through crowd funding – a scheme where people buy pieces of art that Simpson will create on location. Yet how on earth does he get people to part ways with their money for something that doesn’t even exist yet? “I thought that it was a nice way to promote it and get people invested in it early. I thought it would be a novel way to do it.”

Having already surpassed the target total on its very first day, it seems that luck is on the young artist’s side. Not to mention a busy schedule. As a figurative painter, Simpson has been working solidly since graduating from Leeds University in 2007, with a degree in fine art. “After uni, I had a few lucky breaks, which meant that I could carry on. I try and treat it like a 9 to 5 job. It’s the idea of keeping on top of it, trying to keep a work ethic, it’s not always easy.”

Almost There

He insists that he prefers to work in projects as opposed to single paintings. “I always feel they speak better when they’re together.” This explains one of his previous bodies of work, entitled Almost There. The series of 12 paintings also incorporate America and the idea of the road trip, but with the added bonus of a soundtrack. Each painting was in association with a different band; a song was written specifically, which matched the scene and mood. This culminated in both the paintings and audio illustrating the subject’s journey.

The paintings were deliberately left to show uncertainty about how they are connected, allowing people to make their own story. “You’ve got this one image and you have to think of a context for it; fill in the blanks,” muses Simpson. “It’s such a limited amount of information; I think that’s what gives painting their strength.”

In all of Simpson’s pieces, ambiguity is a key factor. It’s the sense of an enigma that he’s drawn to. By highlighting the in-between moments, the times where you’re unsure what exactly is happening, it adds much more depth to the scene. Or as Simpson himself puts it, “there’s a bit of mystery to it and it means something to different people. It captures a bit of a mood. I think it’s more powerful if it’s ambiguous.”

The paintings itself are dramatic, in the sense that high-key lighting is often featured. Always using oil paints, the pieces are almost like photographs; as they could be stills taken from a feature film.



Check out part two here

If you're not busy...

get yourselves to London to see Everything Is Electrified by artist, Joe Simpson. The exhibition takes the unlikely subject of pylons and follows Musician Portraits - previously featured on the blog here.

Speaking to Simpson in the run-up to the exhibition, the artist says:

"Whilst I was preparing for the musician portraits exhibition, I wanted to keep creating art, but to do something quite different as a creative break. I wanted to make paintings that I could do with minimal source material and that wouldn’t rely on sitters. I’ve always been interested in bold skies and clouds and started to make landscapes. I wanted to contrast the sprawling natural shapes of the skies with straight, formal and rigid imagery – so started to draw pylons and transmission towers over the top.  I’ve always liked pylons and wires across the skyline, they feel quite cinematic – like they appear in a Spielberg movie."


PS. if you were wondering, the title of the exhibition comes from this song...

Electrified - Ben Sollee

Everything Is Electrified runs from January 20th – 30th, 2012 at Camden Town Unlimited everyday 12pm – 8pm.

If you're not busy...

Head to the Turner Contemporary in Margate, Kent to see Nothing In The World But Youth. The exhibition is inspired by the seaside town of Margate and looks at differing views of the youth in society, since the end of the 19th century. My favourite part of the exhibition are the pictures showing local people in their youth and how they are today.

Nothing In The World But Youth is showing until January 8th, 2012.

If you're not busy...

...head to London where artist Joe Simpson is showcasing his incredible musician portraits, ranging from Paloma Faith, to The Vaccines' Justin Young. As the final week of his exhibition begins, Joe spares time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions...

Joe Simpson

What made you want to paint only musicians?
I’d been working on a series of large scale corporate commissions for a year and I wanted to do a project for myself with a series of smaller paintings. I thought about doing a collection of portraits of well-known people for a while, but I felt that it would be stronger if there was a theme. Because I’m such a big music fan I ended up choosing musicians – it would be a chance to meet people who I’m a fan of and provide a rich source of interesting subjects.

Was it difficult to get in touch with every person and was there anyone that you couldn't reach?
It was difficult, I had to use some serious google skills and write persuasive emails. It was often hard getting around management and to ask the musicians directly. There were quite a few people I would have liked to paint but couldn’t end up getting – I would have liked to paint Sufjan Stevens a lot, I’m a massive fan of his music.

Sam Beam

Who was your favourite to paint and why?

They were all interesting in different ways. I liked painting people with beards and crazy hair, Sam Beam was a lot of fun.

What's next after this exhibition closes?
I have a show in January called ‘Everything Is Electrified’, it’s mixed media landscapes with pylons and transmission towers – totally different to the musician portraits, but a nice change for me. After that I’m not sure, I have a few ideas in the pipeline…


Details of the exhibition can be found here
Follow Joe on twitter
Watch 'Musician Portraits - Making a Pop Up' here

Power of Making

When you're graced with the words Power of Making, you wouldn't have the highest of expectations. But when you look to your left and find a 10ft monster made only out of metal coat hangers, you know you've just walked into something special. The V&A's newest exhibition takes a look at the different techniques used in craft and how they can be used to make anything that your imagination conjures up. Or as guest curator, Daniel Charny explains, "Making is the most powerful way that we solve problems, express ideas and shape our world. What and how we make defines who we are, and communicates who we want to be."

Walking into the exhibition, there was a variety of pieces that were chosen to display the originality and ingenuity that each artist/ designer has. Favourites ranged from Alexander Mcqueen's 'Armadillo' shoes (which were inspired by ballet dancers in the en pointe position) to the Crochetdermy Bear, by Shauna Richardson. You are left to view the works of art in any way you desire, as unlike other exhibitions, there is no set path to follow. This, therefore allows people to explore in their own way - hopefully to form inspiration for something they could create. All in all, Power of Making takes arts and crafts to a whole new level and is well worth a visit. 


The exhibition runs from September 6th 2011 - January 2nd 2012 in the V&A museum.