Simon Nicholas

Overview
Simon Nicholas

"My most recent work has been based on urban landscapes, where the borders between reality, fiction and photographic representation are brought into question. Using formal elements such as underlying grids, repetition and pattern, I wish to create pictures which oscillate ambiguously between figuration and abstraction.

 

An important aspect of the work is that it is not based in any way on photographs, although the paintings appear to refer to a photographic process. One of my main intentions is to imply and attempt to construct a fictional photographic reference.

 

As a painter one usually has three main ways of working: either from observation,or by intuition / memory, or from photographs. My working process in recent years has gradually led me into a complicated and challenging area whereby I am attempting to work in the gap between these three options as they usually tend to exclude each other. I am interested in making pictures which attempt to combine opposites, and whilst appearing at first sight conventional, offer ambiguous readings that transform the reality of the world they appear to represent into sophisticated and endless fiction which distances us from spaces that we think we know. The working method is entirely dependent on “making it up as you go along”, the results more often than not being the sum of an endless series of corrections and overpaintings."  - Simon Nicholas

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Works
Exhibitions
Biography
Simon Nicholas

Education

1987 State Academy of Fine Art, Oslo, Norway

1979 Academy of Fine Art, Istanbul, Turkey

1977 Camberwell School of Art, London

1974 Bath Academy of Art

 

Teaching

1996 - PRESENT Granum Kunstfagskole, Oslo

2001 University of Northumbria, Newcastle, England

2000 Oxford School of Art, England

 

Collections

DnB Bank, Bjørvika, Oslo • Oslo S Utvikling (OSU), Oslo • AT&T, USA • Statoil, Norway • Statoil

• Dagens Naeringsliv, Oslo • TV 2, Oslo • Northumbria University’s Permanent Collection, Newcastle, UK • Parabola Estates, Central Square, Newcastle • Old Mutual Art Collection, London • Skien Billed- galleri, Norway • Eiendomsspar AS, Oslo • Cleveland Art Gallery, UK

• Göteborg Konstnämd, Sweden • Bohusläntinget, Sweden • Scandia Göteborg • Bergens Grieghallen, Norway • Unilever Plc, London

 

Awards
2015 - 2021 Grant from the Arts Council of Norway

2024 Grant from BKH (Bildende Kunstneres Hjelpefond) Norway 

2015- 21 Working grant from the Arts Council of Norway 2014 BKV Stipend ( grant from the Norwegian Artists Union) 

2011 Norwegian Artists Union  

2007 Vederlagfondetsstipend ( Norwegian Artists Union) 2006 Vederlagfondetsstipend  

2005    Vederlagfondetsstipend 

2004    Vederlagfondetsstipend 

2003    Vederlagfondetsstipend 

2002    Vederlagfondetsstipend 

2001    Vederlagfondetsstipend 

2000    Norwegian Cultural Council award 

1999    Pollock- Krasner Award, New York 

1998    Ingrid Lindbäck Langaard Foundation, Oslo 1998    Vederlagfondetsstipend 

1997    NBK ( Norwegian Artists Union ) Travel grant 1996    Ingrid Lindbäck Langaard 

1995    Ingrid Lindbäck Langaard Travel grant 

           ( Residency at Skandinavisk Kunstnerkollegium i Roma) 1994    Norwegian State Travel grant 

1993    British Council Award 

1986    Grant from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1977    Turkish Government Scholarship

 

1999 Pollock- Krasner Award, New York

 

Solo Exhibitions

2021 'Gatherings' , Maybaum Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2019 Urban Landscapes, Maybaum Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2018 Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway, “Mapping the Studio”

2017 Haugesund Kunstforening, Norway, “ Gallery”
2016 Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg, “ New Work”

2015 Aalesunds Kunstforening, Norway

2014 Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg, “Paintings”

2013 Trafo Kunsthall, Norway “Bjørvika Paintings“

2012 University Gallery Newcastle, UK
2011 Kings Place Gallery, London

2011 Galerie Clairefontaine, “Paintings“
2010 Bærum Kunstforening, Norway “ From the birch series 1989- 1995

2009 Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg “ Kirchberg Paintings”

2008 Gallery Henoch, New York “ Composed Cities”
2007 Clairefontaine “ Atrium”
2006 Gallery Aasen, Ålesund, Norway

2005 Galleri Brandstrup, Oslo, Norway “Tiers”

2004 Galleri Brandstrup “Concourse”
2003 Gallmeri Aasen, Ålesund
2002 University Gallery, Newcastle, England

2001 University Gallery, Newcastle

2001 Tegneforbundet, Oslo “City Interiors”

2000 England & co, London

2000 Galleri 9, Kristiansand, Norway
2000 Skien Kunstforening, Norway

1999 Galleri F 15, Norway
1999 Oslo Kunstforening
1999 Buskerud Kunstnersenter
1993 Philip Graham Gallery, London

1990 Galleri Aktuell Kunst, Oslo
1989 Galleri Garmer, Göteborg, Sweden

1989 Drammen Kunstforening, Norway

1987 Bergen Kunstforening

1986 Richard Pomeroy, London

 

Group Exhibitions

2021 Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize, London, UK

2017 Radley Drawing Centre, England, “Sketch”  Østlandsutstillingen, Norway 

2015 The London Group Open, London UK

2013 The Mall Galleries, London "The ING Discerning Eye"  London UK

2013 Kings Place Gallery, London "Ruth Borchard self portrait exhibition"   2013 Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg, LU  

2011 Kings Place Gallery, London "Ruth Borchard self portrait exhibition"  2010 Galleri LNM, "Colors" ,Oslo, NO 

2008 Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg “portraits > < selfportraits" 

2007 Norske Bilder, Oslo, NO 

2006 Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY 

2006"Dealer's Choice"  Gallery Henoch, New York, NY

2005 Flowers Central, London, UK

2005"Small Work 23"  Norske Bilder, Oslo 

2004  Drammens Kunstmuseum “ Visning” 

2004 Flowers Central "Small Work 22",  Jill George Gallery, London, UK 

2003 San Francisco Art Fair, San Francisco, CA

2003 Chicago Art Fair, Chicago, US

2003 Belloc Lowndes Fine Art, Chicago, US

2003 Norske Bilder, Østlandsutstillingen, Oslo, NO

2002 Norske Bilder. Oslo, NO 

2001 England & co, London, UK

2000 Hunting Art Prizes, RCA, London, UK 

1999 The Mall Galleries, London "The Discerning Eye”  London, UK

1996 Høstutstillingen 

1994 UKS Vårutstilling 

1993 Gruzelier Modern and Fine Art, London, UK 

1992 UKS Vårutstilling 

1991 Cleveland International Drawing Biennale, England ( Prisvinner)

1991 Whitechapel Art Gallery, "Whitechapel Open”  London, UK

1988 Brighton Polytechnic Gallery, Brighton, UK

1986 Whitechapel Gallery,Whitechapel Open"  London, UK

1985 Galleri Kampen, Oslo, NO  

1984 Angela Flowers Gallery, London, UK

1984  Curwen Gallery, London, UK 

1983 Anne Berthoud Gallery, London, UK

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