SIMON EDWARDS

Castle Hill (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Precipice (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Eastern Edge (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Angle of Repose (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Summit Apparition (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Point of Collision (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Uplift (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Splinter (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 900 x 750 x 14 mm

Between Two Worlds (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 1800 x 1500 x 14 mm

Rise and Fall (2015) oil on aluminium, panel: 1800 x 1500 x 14 mm

In Facing the Mountain SimonEdwardschallengesouremotionsand conventionalunderstandingsofhowweexperiencethelandscape

Thesealpinelandscapesarebothfamiliarandelusive.Theyaresuffusedwithdim lightwhichhasapalpablepresence.Painterlyeffectsareintermingled–perspectivealtersandchanges,withEdwardsusingglazestoretaintranslucence andclarityatthesametimeastheyinstiltoneandatmosphere.

Edwardsisplayingwithnotionsofthesublimeandemployingelementsof modernistabstraction.Hedeliversthesestartlingalpinelandscapes,animatedby thevaporousandephemeral,sothattheyseemtosimultaneouslyadvanceand retreatinspace.

Thesearerealplaces(astitlessuchas Eastern Edge and Castle Hill demonstrate). Whiletheyarepaintingsdeeplyinformedbydrawingsundertakeninthefield, theyare,mostespecially,studiopaintingswherepainterlyeffectsandthe essentialqualitiesofthepaintedsurfacecommunewiththesensesandthe delineatedlandscape.Edwardsusessuggestionandimplicationasactivelyas atmosphere,spaceanddistance.

Thesearealpinelandscapesmorefeltandperceivedthanactuallyseen.

In Between Two Worlds dullairsoftlylightsawaterypathwetravelto‘facethe mountain,’apprehendandcomprehendit.

In Precipice, Summit Apparition and Angle of Repose Edwardsrevealsandhides, allowsanddenies.Brokenwhitelines,silhouettedoutlinesandshadows,cold volumeand‘pooling’modulatedtoneactivatethesenses.Wethus‘feel’our wayin.

SIMON EDWARDS

b. 1975, lives Christchurch

SimonEdwards:TheBreadthandBloodofDistantLands(2013)

“The landscape has been the source of my work…The work places itself somewhere between a modernistic reliance on the essential qualities (of the materials and methods of painting) and an awareness of traditional forms of the landscape. I use this as a departure point, for entering into a process of layering and rubbing back, setting up a dialogue between myself, the medium and the landscape. The work becomes a result of reacting to what is happening on the surface at the time, and building on chance effects that present themselves, contributing to a sense of space, distance and movement.” (1)

"Forms revealed as being as vaporous and ephemeral as the air itself and the work a play with the sublime, the atmospheric effects of nature able to reflect and inspire imagination". (2)

Edwards’ earlier work clearly showed the influence of 19th century landscape artists like Friedrich and Turner but this influence was mediated by a 20th Century modernist and postmodernist perspective. "Sliding between modernist abstraction and the tempestuous 19th Century Painter Turner, they also felt utterly of their region, recalling two important Cantabrian forebearers, Van der Velden and Sutton." (3)

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand 1975. Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts 1997. Finalist in the 1997 Cranleigh Barton Drawing Award. Simon has exhibited regularly since 1998. He lives and works in Christchurch. He is represented in numerous New Zealand collections including the Christchurch Art Gallery.

1. Simon Edwards, Artist’s Statement.

2. Mark Amery, 'Cantabrians Building on the Past', Dominion Post, 2007.

3. Ibid.

EDUCATION

SIMON EDWARDS

b. 1975, lives Dunedin

1997 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2015 Facing the Mountain, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2013 Mountain Pass, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2012 Backburn, Chambers241, Christchurch

2011 Burn Off, milford galleries Queenstown

2010 New Works, Suite Gallery, Wellington

2009 Transalpine, CoCA, Christchurch

2008 New Works, CoCA, Christchurch

Demister, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2007 Westpark, milford galleries Auckland

New Paintings and Drawings, Janne Land Gallery, Wellington

Urban Wanderer, CoCA, Christchurch

2006 Still, CoCA, Christchurch

2005 In the Shadow of the Port Hills, CoCA, Christchurch

New Paintings, Janne Land Gallery, Wellington

Private Wilderness, milford galleries auckland

2004 New Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Field Work, milford galleries auckland

2003 Silver Lining, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2002 From the Road, Canaday Gallery, CoCA, Christchurch

2001 Backward Glance, CoCA, Christchurch

Detours, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2000 Recent Painting, Chamber Gallery, Rangiora

1999 A Second Nature, CoCA, Christchurch

New Paintings, Milford Galleries Dunedin

1998 New Works, CoCA, Christchurch

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2014 The Review, milford galleries queenstown

It’s Not Dry Yet, Chambers 241, Christchurch

The Royal Queenstown Easter Show, milford galleries queenstown

2013 Another Country, Chambers 241, Christchurch

The Landscape Show, The Vivian, Matakana

Small Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Large Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2012 Works on Paper, milford galleries queenstown

Small Works, milford galleries queenstown

How to Paint a Landscape, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Shared Lines, Christchurch Sendai Art Exchange, Sendai and Shiogama, Japan

Reboot, milford galleries queenstown

2011 Christchurch Contingent, WH Milbank Gallery, Whanganui

2010 Winter Show, milford galleries queenstown

2009 Southern Landscape, milford galleries queenstown

135 Gloucester Street Studio Exhibition, High Street, Christchurch

2008 Masterworks, milford galleries queenstown

Summer Show, milford galleries auckland

2007 Summer Show, milford galleries queenstown

Looking South, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2006 Essence, milford galleries auckland

Location South, milford galleries queenstown

2005 The Southern Landscape Dunedin, Milford Galleries Dunedin

The Southern Landscape, milford galleries queenstown

This Earth – Garry Currin, Simon Edwards, Scott McFarlane, milford galleries auckland

2004 Seven, Art House, Christchurch

Simon Edwards, Chris Pole, Callum Arnold, Chamber Gallery , Rangiora

Contemporary Art from Marlborough Collections, Millennium Art Gallery, Blenheim

Clouded Hills: Gerda Leenards & Simon Edwards, CoCA, Christchurch

2003 Grant Whibley, Damien Kurth, Simon Edwards, milford galleries auckland

OverView - Is As: Landscape as Metaphor, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Simon Edwards and Callum Arnold, CoCA, Christchurch

2002 Convergence, Selwyn Gallery, Darfield

Art Event, Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch

2001 Essay in Colour, Morgan Street Gallery, Auckland

2000 Art on Tour, Mayoral Touring Exhibition, Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch

1999 20/20 Revisited, CoCA, Christchurch

Under 25 Exposure, Selwyn Gallery, Darfield

Blind Date, CoCA, Christchurch

Northern Lights; Simon Edwards & Dennis de Visseraman, CoCA, Christchurch

1998 High Street Project Fundraising Show, HSP, Christchurch

3 Canterbury Men, Gallery Sixteen, Auckland

1997 Cranleigh Barton Drawing Award, Robert McDougall Art Annex, Christchurch

Painting by Numbers, School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

AWARDS

2013 Finalist, Parkin Drawing Award

2006 First Prize in Landscape, Park Lane Art Award, Auckland

2005 People’s Choice Award, Anthony Harper Award in Contemporary Art

2002 Premier Exhibit, Malvern Art Week

1998 Acquisitive Award, Malvern Art Week

1997 Finalist Cranleigh Barton Drawing Award

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu

Carrington College, Dunedin

Bupa Care Services, Wellington

Numerous private collections in New Zealand, Australia, United States of America & United Kingdom

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2008 Carrick, Chanelle, ‘Subverted portraiture questions roles of redundant men’, Otago Daily Times, April 17, 2008

2007 McNamara, TJ, ‘Compelling Visions of Childhood’, New Zealand Herald, September 6, 2007

2007 Amery, Mark, ‘Cantabrians building on the past’, The Dominion Post, May 8, 2007

2006 Hanton, Jamie, ‘Satisfying Resonance’, The Press, September 26, 2006

2006 Coley, John, ‘Alive with Paint’, The Press, October 18, 2006