Joe Simpson is a figurative painter currently living and working in London. His paintings have been shown both nationally and internationally, including prestigious venues such as Urbis, Manchester City Art Gallery, Cornerhouse and The House of Commons. Joe works primarily in oil paint to create realistic images that utilise the conventions of cinematography to present ‘staged’, fictitious scenes where time has been stopped and extended. These frozen moments are deliberately ambiguous, inviting the viewer to inject their own emotions, motivations and narrative context into the scene, thereby avoiding limiting interpretation.
Joe has completed several large scale commissions for prestigious clients, including a series of paintings for P&O, Standard Chartered and the Professional Football Association. His work is owned by notable collectors and celebrities. His largest exhibition ‘Almost There’ received funding from the Arts Council England and corporate sponsorship from Audio Technica.
(*solo shows marked by asterisk)
| 2011 | BP Portrait Award 2011, The National Portrait Gallery, London |
| Beck's Art and Music Label Competition, Shoreditch, London | |
| *Almost There, Cooper Gallery, Barnsley | |
| 2010 | New York, New York, Azura Superliner |
| 2009 | *Almost There, Waterside Arts Centre, Sale |
| *Joe Simpson, Cornerhouse, Manchester | |
| *Almost There, Candid Arts Trust, London | |
| 2008 | Accenture Corporate Art Loan, Accenture London Office |
| ArtMap Manchester, City Tower, Manchester | |
| *Follow the Lights, Lowry Hotel, Manchester | |
| Waterside Open Art, Waterside Art Centre, Sale, Trafford | |
| 2007 | Bankley Open 2007, Bankley Studios, Levenshulme |
| The Grieve + Samaritans Art Prize, House of Commons, London. Jurors: Anthony McNerney and Camilla D'Arcy-Irvine | |
| Blank Media, Zion Arts Centre, Manchester | |
| Capricious (Degree Show), University of Leeds | |
| Liberté d´Expression, Light Gallery, London. Curator: Sharmina Karim | |
| Nationwide Mercury Music Art Prize 2007, The Hospital Gallery, London. Juror: Sir Peter Blake. Director: Dan Ford | |
| 2006 | Liberté d´Expression Competition, Candid Arts Trust, London. Curator: Sharmina Karim |
| Gallery Redbill, Shotton | |
| *Colourblind, Eleanor Winter's Gallery, Toronto | |
| 2005 | Nationwide Mercury Music 'Art and Music 2005', The Air Gallery, London. Juror: Sir Peter Blake. Director: Dan Ford |
| *One By One, North, Leeds | |
| 2004 | Channel 4 Self Portrait Competition 2004, National Tour (including Manchester City Art Gallery) |
| Bansang Hospital Appeal Charity Exhibition, University of Leeds | |
| Gascoigne Gallery Painting Prize 2004, Gascoigne Gallery, Harrogate |