Education

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


Solo Exhibitions


2024

Frieze London 24
Solo Booth with Modern Art, London
October 9-13

New Paintings
Modern Art, London
13 Jan - 17 Feb

2023

Drawing towards painting 
Holburne Museum Bath
6 May - 17 Sept 23

Paintings
Arario Gallery, Shanghai
12 May - 17 June 23

2022-23
Paintings
GIANT, Bournemouth
10 Nov 22 - 2O Jan 23

2022
Squint Paintings
Arco, Madrid
March 2022

2021
Michael Simpson
Nosbaum Reding, Luxembourg
Jan — March 2021

2020
New Paintings
Blain Southern, London
October 2019 — February 2020

2018
Selected works of Michael Simpson
Minsheng Museum of Art, Shanghai, China..
10th April - 16th June

2017
Squint - Blain Southern, Berlin.
16th September - 28th October
2016
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen

'Shall we Sit, Stand or Kneel?'
with Hannah Levy and curated by Wills Baker
Marlborough Contemporary, Chelsea, New York
October - December

Flat Surface Paintings
Spike Island, Bristol
16th January - 27 March 2016

2014
David Roberts Arts Foundation, London
16th April - 24th May

2013
The Leper Squint Paintings 2012 - 13
March - May
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen

2008
Volta New York, September 2008, Bench Paintings and works on paper

2007
David Risley Gallery, London Bench Paintings Recent Work 2005 - 2006

2005
The Tithe Barn, Bradford on Avon and The Old Gasworks, An Installation, Hymn- Psalm-Song-Prayer Bench Paintings

1996
Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol and Oriel 31, Newtown – Bench Paintings 1992-1995

1985
Serpentine Gallery, London – Recent Paintings

1983
Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol – Paintings 1980-1983

1973
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery – Six large paintings

1972
Piccadilly Gallery, London – Recent Paintings

1968
University of Sussex – Paintings

1968
Piccadilly Gallery, London – Paintings and Drawings

1964
Piccadilly Gallery, London – Recent Paintings


Selected Group Exhibitions

2024

The Principal Cause of Serial Monogamy
Tara Downs Gallery, New York
July - August 2024  

2023

Modern Art (Stuart Shave)
Paris Group Show
Place de L'Alma
16th Oct - 2nd Dec 2023

2021

'Aquisitions' 2016-2021
Giacometti Room, an installation
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Copenhagen

Of Clocks and Clouds
Palfrey Gallery, London
28 July — 21 August

2020

Words
Simon Lee Gallery, London
2nd June — 19th July
or by appointment

2019-20

Slow Painting
Hayward Touring Show
Curated by Martin Herbert
Leeds Art Gallery October 2019 — Jan 20
Livinsky Gallery, Plymouth 2020
The Edge, Bath 2020
Inverness Museum and Gallery 2020

2018

'Class Reunion'
Works from the
Gaby & Wilhelm Schürmann Collection
Museum Moderner, Künst, Stiftung,
Ludwig, Wein, Vienna
23rd June - 11th November

Doodle & Disegno
Blain Southern, Berlin
7th July - 15th September

2017

British Council
"The Painting Show"
Goyang Aram Nuri Art Museum, Korea.
July 2017

British Council
'The Painting Show"
Limerick City Gallery of Art
Feb - March 2017

2016
Revolt of the Sage - Blain Southern, London
25th November - January 17

John Moores Painting Prize, Liverpool
(Awarded First Prize)

White Cube, Bermondsey
Tightrope Walk; Painted Images After Abstraction.
Curated by Barry Schwabsky.
25th November 2015-24th January 2016

The Painting Show
The British Council
Contemporary Art Centre
Vilnius, Lithuania
January - March 2016

The British Council
The Painting Show. Touring Exhibiton
November 2015

David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen
On the Immense and the Numberless
Group Show
Jaunuary 2016

2015
Absence. Looking for Hammershoi
David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen
including Patrick Caulfield, Dexter Delwood,
David Hockney, Alex Katz, Wilhelm Freddie and others

2013
February - April
The Debris of the Fuck drawings 1970 - 74
Kunst Als Forschung
Serge Stauffer
Helm Haus, Zurich

2009
'The Paper Show' David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen

2007
‘Citadel 1: Front Room/Killing Room’ David Risley Gallery, London

2006
Armory New York , David Risley Gallery, London

2005
‘Accidental Death’, David Risley Gallery, London
‘Crivelli’s Nail’ Chapter Gallery, Cardiff

2000
Jerwood Open Drawing Exhibition. Touring to Hull and Kunsthalle 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. Prize Winner

1989 John Moores 16, Liverpool

1987
Serpentine Gallery, London. ‘On a Plate

1982
Hayward Gallery, London. British Drawing

1977
Tolly Cobbald Open, Cambridge. Fitzwilliam Museum. Joint First Prize
On Tour. Sheffield, Ipswich, London

1975
Chichester National Open

1971
John Player Open, Nottingham

1968
‘Art for Industry’, Royal College of Art, London
Arts Council of Northern Ireland Open, Belfast. Joint First Prize

1968
Ten English Art Galleries, Florence

1964
Arts Council Touring Exhibition [new acquisitions 1961-64]

1964
Three Young Painters from The Royal College of Art, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton

1963
The London Group 1963 ‘Contemporary Image’, Upper Grosvenor Gallery, London

1962
Painting from English Art Schools, Paris 1959 - 62

1961 Arts Council Travelling Exhibition[new purchases]

1960
University of London Exhibition. First Prize

1959 Young Contemporaries, London

1959
Arts Council Touring Exhibition



Publications & Reviews:


Jennifer Sliwka
Squinting at the Invisible: Spiritual Seeing and the Art of Michael Simpson
included in 'Theology, Modernity and the Visual Arts'
edited by Ben Quash and Chloe Reddaway
published by Breplos, Belgium 2024

Sherman Sam
Michael Simpson Modern Art London
Arts Forum Jan - Feb 2024

Adrian Searle
Michael Simpson Modern Art London
The Guardian 17th Jan 2024

Mark Wallinger
Between, risking enchantment
Michael Simpson, Paintings
Giant gallery, Bournemouth
November 2022 —Jan 23

Julien de la Grange
(post) conceptual painting
High on Hope
Cross Lane Projects: July-Sept 2022

Anon
Michael Simpson
Paris Match. Squint paintings
June 2022

Francesca Franco
Uno spettro si aggira sulla Neoavanguardia:
Giordano Bruno
Rome 2022

Marianne Brausch
From the Ascetic to the Exuberant.
Michael Simpson - D’ Letzebuerger Land.
Nosbaum Reding, Luxemburg. January — March 2021

Julian Delagrange
Apologia
Post Conceptualism and Figurative Painting
November 2020

Jacob Barnes
‘Words’
Simon Lee Gallery, London.
Soft Punk magazine
August 2020

Michael Simpson Paintings and Drawings 1989 — 2019
Essays by Barry Schwabsky, Mark Wallinger and Jennifer Sliwka
280pp 140 colour plates

David Trigg.
Studio International
Michael Simpson interviewed
October 27th 2019

Elizabeth Fullerton
Michael Simpson. Blain Southern
Art in America
December 2019

Paul Carey - Kent
Slow Painting. Leeds Art Gallery
Art Monthly. March 2020

Martin Herbert
‘Take your Time’
Slow Painting Publication, Leeds
2019

Derek Horton
Slow Painting; Leeds
Corridor 8
December 2019

A. R. Price
On The Leper Squint Paintings of Michael Simpson
Journal of Contemporary Painting
May 2018

Martin Herbert
Michael Simpson
ART REVIEW
September 2017

Hans Pietsch
Metaphysische Råume - Michael Simpson
(Metaphysical Spaces)
ART - Das Kunstmagazin
February 2017

Jonathen P Watts
Revolt of the Sage
Blain Southern
Frieze, April 2017

Anon
Revolt of the Sage
Aesthetica Magazine
Blain Southern, London
15th November 2016

Jonathan P Watts
Revolt of the Sage
Frieze
Blainsouthern London
26th January 2017

Edited by Simon Moretti & Craig Burnett
Revolt of the Sage
Publication - Blain Southern, London
January 2017

Anna Wallace-Thompson
Revolt of the Sage, Blain Southern London
Art Forum, Dec 2016


Louisa Buck
Revolt of the Sage, Blain Southern London
The Telegraph, 9th December 2016


Barry Schwabsky
Vitamin P: New Perspectives in Painting
Phaidon 2016


Simara Ahmed
Front Row
BBC Radio 4
Michael Simpson Interview
11 July 2016

Adrian Price
'Flat Surface Painting and the Plane of Alterity'
A celebration of the painting 'Squint 19' by Michael Simpson
A lecture in two parts.
City University New York. N.Y. Oct 22nd 2016

David Trigg
Michael Simpson, Flat Surface Paintings , Spike Island, Bristol
Art Review
April 2016

Mark Wallinger
Michael Simpson, Flat Surface Paintings, Spike Island, Bristol
The Observer
28th Feb 2016

Dexter Dalwood
A Talk and Tour on Michael Simpson's Flat Surface Paintings.
Spike Island, Bristol. 2016

Lizzie Lloyd
'On the Immense & the Numberless'.
Frieze no.179. May 2016

Lizzie Lloyd
A Talk and Tour on Michael Simpson's Flat Surface Paintings.
Spike Island, Bristol. 2016

Paul Carey-Kent
Michael Simpson, Flat Surface Paintings, Spike Island, Bristol
Frieze
March 2016

Bevis Fenner
Michael Simpson, Flat Surface Paintings, Spike Island, Bristol
Aesthetica Magazine
Feb/March 2016. #69

Louisa Buck
Michael Simpson, Flat Surface Paintings, Spike Island, Bristol
The Art Newspaper
28th January 2016

Alexandra Quicho
Michael Simpson, Flat Surface Paintings, Spike Island, Bristol
This is Tomorrow Magazine
March 4th 2016

2015
Andrew Searle
The Guardian, 2nd December 2015
Tightrope Walk, White Cube , London
Curated by Barry Schwabsky

Ben Luke
Michael Craig Martin's invited Artists at the R.A. Summer Exhibition
London Evening Standard June 4th 2015

2014
David Roberts Art Foundation. April - May 2014 .
William Pym, 'The Confidence Man', Michael Simpson at David Roberts Art Foundation, April - May 2014
Barry Schwabsky, 'Michael Simpson's Bench Paintings' David Roberts Art Foundation, April - May 2014
Kate Christina Mayne, 'From the Bench to the Window'.
Michael Simpson at David Roberts Art Foundation, April - May 2014 . (H) Art Antwerp, Belgium May 15th 2014

2013
Karen Wright. Michael Simpson painter. The Independent 17th August 2013

2007
Jessica Lack .Michael Simpson Recent Paintings .David Risley Gallery.
The Guardian 27th January 2007
Mark Rappolt ‘Future Greats, Twenty-five Artists to look out for in 2007, Art Review
Barry Schwabsky, “Michael Simpson, David Risley Gallery’ Art Forum April 2007.
Roderick Harris 'To think is to speculate with images', Turps Banana, Issue Three, July 2007

2005
Hymn-Psalm-Song-Prayer - Bench Paintings. The Tithe Barn & The Old Gasworks Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. September 2005.
Arts Council Publication. Bound 12 Full colour reproductions with text by the artist.

1996
John McEwan. ‘Michael Simpson, Bench Paintings’. Sunday Telegraph, 21 January
John Tozer. ‘Michael Simpson’. Galleries, January
Tony Godfrey ‘Unnamed Paintings’ Catalogue Essay
Bench Paintings 1992-1995 Arnolfini Gallery and Oriel 31, 1996

1992
Richard Kendall. ‘The State of the Art’. Apollo Magazine. John Moores 17, January
1985
Nigel Pollitt. ‘Michael Simpson at the Serpentine’. City Limits, August
1984
Ken Rowat. ‘Michael Simpson Arnolfini’. The Guardian, January
Edward Phelps. ‘Michael Simpson, Arnolfini Gallery’. Arts Review, January
Anne Sheldon. ‘Michael Simpson Paintings 1980-83’. Venue, January
Lewis Biggs. ‘Michael Simpson Paintings 1980-83’ The Arnolfini Review, January
1982
Francis Spalding, The Hayward Annual. Times Literary Supplement, August
1975
Teresa Gleadow. ‘Michael Simpson’. Southern Arts, April
1968
Anthony Faucett, Doubts and Dilemmas, Art and Artists - April
Marina Vaizey, ‘Michael Simpson’. Arts News and Review, April
Norbert Lynton, ‘Michael Simpson’. The Guardian, April
Donald Blady. ‘Michael Simpson’. New York Herald Tribune, April
Anon … ‘Michael Simpson’. Financial Times, April
John Russell. ‘Michael Simpson’. Sunday Times, April
1960 William van der Eyken. ‘London University Exhibition’.
London Evening Standard, April 16


Interviews


Mark Wallinger in conversation with Michael Simpson. Modern Art, 17th Jan 2024
David Trigg Studio International October 27th 2019
Craig Burnett In Conversation Michael Simpson and Craig Burnett In; Paintings and Drawings 1989 — 2019 Published by Blain Southern 2019
BBC Radio 4: Front Row - July 8th Liverpool Biennial
The Louisiana Channel: Odyssey of a Painter
The Louisiana Channel: Advice to the Young
Dexter Dalwood 'In conversation with Michael Simpson'

Collections


Kistefos Museum of Contemporary Art, Norway
Tate, London
The Long Museum, Shanghai, China
Majerus Collection, Luxembourg
The Start Museum, Shanghai
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark
British Council, London
Ekard Collection Wassenaar, Holland
David Roberts Arts Foundation, London
Arts Council, England
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Lim Collection, Hong Kong
Schürmann Collection, Aachen, Germany
Stuyvesant Foundation
Det Nye Universitets Hospital, Aarhus, Jutland
Control Techniques, The Arup Building
Arts Council, Northern Ireland
Royal College of Art, London
University of Oxford
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Carlisle Art Gallery and Museum
Ulster Museum and Art Gallery, Belfast
Camden Borough Council, London
Southern Arts Association
And various private collections

Awards


2016 John Moores, First Prize
1999 Winner of the London Arts Foundation Fellowship in Painting
1991 John Moores 17. Prize Winner
1977 Tolly Cobbald Open, Cambridge, Joint First Prize
1976 Major Award. Arts Council of Great Britain
1975 Major Award, Southern Arts Council
1968 Northern Ireland Arts Council Open, Belfast, Joint First Prize
1963 British Council Scholarship to the USSR
1960 University of London Exhibition, First Prize