Simon Kennedy
Simon Kennedy
London, East, United Kingdom
About Simon Kennedy
www.simonkennedy.org Adrift in an emotional landscape, mischievous, playful, roguish, I am a sculptor of the anomalous and a dedicated observer of the mysteries of the Cosmos. Out of the peculiar debris of our lives, like a meteorite striking the earth, my sculptures and installations are designed to occupy, converse with, and short-circuit, familiar environments and social behaviour. I seek to use unexpected shifts in perceived normality within a given time and space. I am a sculptor and installation artist who has exhibited in many high profile galleries and undertaken site-specific installation projects and residencies throughout the world. I am a member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and have been a studio assistant to Fiona Banner, Cathy De Monchaux and Isa Melsheimer. I was a visiting lecturer in sculpture and architecture, a founder member of Sasprojects, creative director of the Dark Matter Cabaret and Les Cabaratz, Astro Graffiti Show. After undertaking a year long art and science research residency in Berlin and a further three years living and working there, I moved my studio back to London where I am working on a new body of work which will be presented as a solo exhibition and I will be exhibiting a new sculpture "Stardust Principle" at Palazzo Mora as part of the Venice Biennale 2017. I have a life long interest in physical and philosophical cosmology, with a particular interest in meteorites, notions of physical scale, relativity and location within dimensional space. I take inspiration from nature, the stars in the sky and the mysteries of the universe. My art works are often a humorous response to the world I see around me. Exploration of the mysteries of reality and the endless possibilities of the creative imagination is at the core of my artistic practice.
Education:
2000-2001. MA Art and Space, Kingston University, London.
1997-2000. BA (Hons) Fine Art Sculpture, Kingston University, London.
1996-1997. Practice and Theory of Art, Chelsea College of Art, London.
1978-1983. Junior Arts and Science Centre, London.
Events:
Simon Kennedy at The Venice Biennale 2017
"Stardust Principle" sculpture installation will be exhibited in
Personnel Structures @
European Cultural Centre
Palazzo Mora
13th May - 26th December 2017
Exhibition organised by The GAA Foundation
Hosted by European Cultural Centre
The GAA Foundation’s exhibition “Personal Structures” at the Palazzo Mora, Strada Nuova #3659 Venice 30121, Italy, is the venue for Simon Kennedy’s “Stardust Principle” a new sculpture which reminds us, ultimately all earthly life share some of the same basic material components found in celestial stars. This shared material which could poetically be called stardust links all life on Earth to the Universe, both physically and spiritually. Within “Stardust Principle” the intimate and expansive, the molecular and the expanding universe are celebrated in a constellation of everyday objects.
Exhibitions:
Solo Exhibitions.
2014. Lightworks, Meisser Space, Berlin.
2013. Radiation Hour, Funkhaus, Berlin.
2013. Les Cabaratz, Astro Graffiti Show, Berlin. (Various performance venues)
2012. Les Cabaratz, Astro Graffiti Show, Berlin. (Various performance venues)
2011. Raining Stones, Shelf Gallery, London.
2011. Scream, The Icecreamist, Covent Garden, London.
2009. The Dark Matter Show, St Mary’s In The Castle, Hastings.
2009. The Dark Matter Show, London Burlesque Festival.
2007. Naughty But Nice, B&B Gallery, Folkestone, Kent.
2007. Worm Holes, Sasprojects Installation, The Substation, Margate, Kent.
2006. Light Travels, The Rotunda, Folkestone, Kent.
2006. Black Hole, Sasprojects Installation, PVA Bridport, Worth Matravers, Dorset.
2005. Star Dust, Sasprojects Installation, Leeds Metropolitan Gallery, Leeds.
2004. Age of Communication, Vyner Street Studio, London.
2004. Telstar, Jake and Dinos Chapman Project Space, London.
2003. Tower of Sound, Epsom Library, Surrey.
2003. Magnetic, Tchamla Village, Southern Bulgaria.
2003. Due North, Redhouse Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Group Shows.
2017. Venice Biennale, Italy with The GAA Foundation.
2017. Miart arts Fair, Milan, Italy, with BeArt.
2015. New Selection, Lik & Neon, London.
2010. Sculpture Now, Herbert Read Gallery, UCA Canterbury
2008. Glasgow International Artists Book Fair, Glasgow.
2008. The Kills, Palace De Tokyo, Paris, France.
2008. Walls In Three Places, Charlton Arts Centre, Dover, Kent.
2008. Folkestone Triennial, Kent.
2007. London Artists Book Fair, ICA, London.
2007. Stink Bomb, Limbo Arts, The Substation.
2007. Out Of The Dark, Sound Art Event, Whitechapel Gallery, London.
2007. Zone, Crate Gallery, Margate, Kent.
2006. Goodbye, Closing Event, The Whitstable Biennial, Kent.
2006. Park Life, Cannizaro Park, Wimbledon, London.
2006. Sound Sculpture Show, University of Southampton, Turner Sims Concert Hall.
2006. Inside Space Outside Space, School of Architecture, UCA, Canterbury.
2005. For and From, Metropole Gallery, Folkestone.
2005. Sculpture at Canterbury, Herbert Read Gallery, Canterbury, Kent.
2005. Scerzce-Frankly, Gallery On, Poznan, Poland.
2005. Les Merveilles du Monde, Musee des Beaux-Arts Dunkerque, France.
2005. Clissold Park Festival, Stoke Newington, London.
2005. Seige, Old Car Park, Sidney Street, London.
2002. State 21, Hackney City Farm, London.
2002. Don’t go to Work, Rhodes and Mann Gallery, London.
2001. Art futures, Contemporary Art Society, Galleryfine2, London.
2001. Fresh Art, Business Design Center, London.
2001. 4 x 4, Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston.
2001. Video Night, 291 Gallery, London.
2000. Inter Course, Gypsy Hill, Kingston.
2000. Medal Project, Simmons Gallery, London.
1999. Firms Inland, Old Post Office Kingston.
1999. 24 hours, Truman's Brewery, Brick Lane, London.
1997. New Things, Whitleys Atrium Gallery, London.
1991. Princes Trust, Hampton Court Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace, Surrey.
1984. Revolution In Child Art, Bretton Hall Sculpture Park, Yorkshire.
1982. Revolution In Child Art, Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, London.
Residencies and Awards.
2014. Sphere Sundial Sculpture, Loch Craignish, Argyll, Scotland.
2011. BBK, Art and Science, Berlin, Germany.
2010. BBK, Art and Science, Berlin, Germany.
2007. Birgit Skiold Award for excellence in Book Arts at ICA Book Art Fair
2006. Piddlehinton Gypsy Travelers Camp, Dorset.
2006. Ship Wreck Installation, Loch Craignish, Argyll, Scotland.
2006. The Bunker, Worth Matravers, Purbeck, Dorset.
2003. Art Bulgaria, Tchamla Village, Southern Bulgaria.
2000. Picker Trust Travel Scholarship, visiting various NASA facilities, in the USA.