The artist Simon Callery visited Wimbledon in May 2015 to discuss his work, influences and collaborations with Geraint Evans, painter and Course Leader for MA Painting at Wimbledon. Callery’s work explores the physical qualities of painting as a way of reflecting the experience of the material landscape. He has worked in collaboration with archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology and the Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford over a number of years.

 

This open and informal event invited questions and observations from the audience, leading to a broad and lively debate. The group attempted to identify the things that initially motivate us to make paintings and discussed subjects ranging from the idea that painting is a speculative and on-going process to the nature of inter-disciplinary practice. They also considered the notion that painting can be a physical as much as a visual experience for the viewer and how influential the context of the gallery can be.

 

Simon’s work has been shown widely in the UK and internationally. Exhibitions include: Art Now 19, Tate Britain, Paper Assets, British Museum and Sensation, Royal Academy of Arts, London. Recent projects include Inland Sealand, co-commissioned by Sherborne House Arts, Dorset, and group shows at Fold Gallery, London; the Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens; Galerie B55, Budapest and Seongnam Art Centre, South Korea. Simon’s most recent exhibition - ‘Soft Painting’ – was held at the Bonington Gallery, Nottingham Trent University.