Stuart Semple | |
|---|---|
 Stuart Semple in 2007 | |
| Born | Stuart Buchanan Semple 12 September 1980 Bournemouth, Dorset, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Bournemouth and Poole College: Painting and Printmaking, Bretton Hall College: Fine Art |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Pop Art, Contemporary Art |
| Children | 1 |
| Patron(s) | Philip Niarchos, David Roberts, Langen Foundation, Getty Foundation |
| Website | stuartsemple |
Stuart Buchanan Semple (born 12 September 1980) is a multidisciplinary British artist working across painting, sculpture, happenings, technology and activism. He is well known for his sociologically engaged works that often discuss youth politics, accessibility and democracy.[1][2] Semple's work has strong links with Richard Hamilton's Pop Art, but has a contemporary emphasis on latent fear and threat rather than Hamilton's consumer culture and glamour.[3]
Semple was born in Bournemouth, Dorset. He studied Advanced Art and Design at Bournemouth and Poole College, and Painting and Printmaking at Bretton Hall College[1][4] in Yorkshire. Semple speaks about the inspiration from his grandfather whose memory inspired a jumper Semple designed.[5] Semple's mother also took him to the National Gallery and he described that moment being the main catalyst in becoming an artist when he saw Van Gogh's Sunflowers aged 7.[6][7]
In 2004, art dealer Anthony d'Offay flew his portfolio to New York and persuaded him to move to London.[8] A 2007 solo exhibition saw $1 million sales within the first five minutes[9] and a recent London exhibition had presales to a Foundation of $1 million.[10]
In 2010, Semple disclosed in an interview with The Evening Standard that he had had a sudden near death experience in 2000 following an allergic reaction. Semple referenced the event in an artwork painted that year; "This is the flatline of my ECG showing where I officially died, my vital signs zeroed completely."[9] Semple identifies the experience as being the catalyst that motivated him to dedicate his life to making art.[11][12]
In 1999, Semple became one of the first artists to utilise the Internet and the potential of digital and created an early online community on eBay who followed drawings he posted up each night.[13][14] Semple's continual appropriation of digital mediums put him in The Guardian's Ten Best Art Auctions alongside Damien Hirst, Ai Weiwei and Edvard Munch.[15]
In 2012, Semple was the first visual artist to release a body of work on iTunes called "EXIT"[16] that was commissioned to be a fully digital experience.[17] His desire to create and distribute this series via iTunes was so that it could be directly accessed affordably in every household worldwide which built on his exploration of the internet and accessibility to contemporary art.[18][19][20][21] The digital artwork "The Effect" which was exhibited during the Suspend Disbelief exhibition is viewable and possible to own on Sedition.[22]
The opening of "Anxiety Generation" in London in 2014 was reported by Tatler as "just like being at the Brit Awards in the Nineties".[23]
The Art Newspaper reported Semple signed with Next Management in 2013 alongside working with galleries.[24] The Art Newspaper continue debating the traditional gallery model and discuss how dealers and galleries place Semple works in important collections but also the agents and management that handle copyright and licensing.[25]
In January 2012, Semple opened the new North Light Centre for Art and Design at Bournemouth & Poole College and judges a yearly competition of the student's works. Semple has spoken at The ICA,[19][26] The Institute of Ideas,[27] CultureLabel,[28] Amnesty,[29] Jerwood Visual Arts for his digital activity,[30] and for DACS on digital and copyright topics. in 2005, Semple was the youngest member appointed to the Design and Artists Copyright Society creators' council.
Semple has featured on the BBC in 2009 for Blue Peter[31] and in 2011[32] and 2014 he presented for the BBC's Art & Design series[33] where he talks about Inspiration[34] Tools & Tips[35] and Idea to Art.[36]
In 2013, Semple created Jump[37] for Australia's Federation Square's public art programme, a 10 x 10m bouncy cloud, and in 2014, Semple represented the British Program for The Night at The Museum festival, releasing thousands of HappyClouds over Moscow.[38] This public art performance has so far also been held in London, Italy, Ireland and Australia.
In 2013, Semple received a medal at The House Of Lords for the UN's first International Day of Happiness and nominated Marilena Borgna and May Gabriel also as his Happiness Heros[39] and spoke to The Independent about the secret to happiness: "My son makes me truly happy... Happiness from real things and from flash things are worlds apart."[40] "My Happy Colouring Flip Book" was published in 2015 as an anti-stress, creative therapy colouring book for adults by Semple and to raise funds for the Mind creative therapies fund.[41]
Semple has sent "Happy Clouds" up into the sky over London initially in direct response to the recession and also in a bid to highlight and spread happiness worldwide, being invited to repeat the artwork in Dublin, Moscow, Australia and Milan.[42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49]
Large scale positive public artworks around this theme of happiness has included "Jump", where Melbourne's Federation Square was transformed into an open air white cloud-like trampoline that invited adults to join in.[50] In 2016 "Something Amazing", was held in 6 cities in England and Scotland, who found giant coloured helium balloon sculptures dotted through streets at sunrise, and encouraged people to take and share screenprinted balloons which featured artwork of his yet to be born nephew. [51]
Eric Bryant debated Semple and contemporary Pop Art in a seminal ARTnews feature 50 years after Richard Hamilton had defined the movement. "While earlier generations of Pop artists exhibited a similar love-hate relationship with consumer culture and glamour, this group takes on fear and violence."[52] Semple's relationship with current culture, politics and imagery has put him at the forefront of the next generation of debate, where artists now tackle the current climate of fear; "his often disturbing, even sinister works also feature guns, pills, and frequent references to suicide."[52] In being categorised within Pop Art, Aidan Duane debated in The Irish Times how his work brings it up to date.[47] In Vogue Italia Stuart Semple discusses his critical relationship with Pop culture in a post Warhol society where it has become a universal language but aims to act removed.[53][54]
Topics of youth apathy were touched upon in 2014's "Anxiety Generation" exhibition where Semple debated that a risk industry keeps our current generation in a passive state of fear and consumption, not having a war or threat of nuclear destruction that our parents faced.[55]
In 2013, Semple talked to Josh Spero about his career and influences as part of The ICA's Culture Now series.[19][56]
In 2013, the Suspend Disbelief exhibition wanted the public to question their relationship with reality.[57][58]
In an interview with Doug McClemont he refers to the mimetic industries of mass-production.[59] In 2014 he discussed his studio routine with The Irish Times explaining how he preferred to be more solitary but market pressures had dictated him to expand his studio.[47][60] His studio was documented during BBC filming in 2011 and 2014.[61]
In 2014 the solo exhibition "Anxiety Generation" takes a snap shot of contemporary culture and communication.[62][63][64]
In 2016, Semple came into conflict with the artist Anish Kapoor when Kapoor purchased exclusive artistic rights to the "world's blackest" material, Vantablack[65] Semple positioned himself at the forefront of a backlash when he released PINK – the world's pinkest pink paint – in retaliation. Semple explicitly banned Kapoor from buying the paint[66] Kapoor managed to acquire the pigment and on his Instagram account posted a picture showing his middle finger dipped in PINK, with the caption "Up yours #pink."[67][68][69]
On 3 February 2017 Semple release of his own version of Vantablack, dubbed "Better Black" followed by a number of improved versions.[68][70] "Better Black" comes as a pigment and an acrylic "super-base" which when combined replicates the light-absorbing technology of Vantablack.[70][71] and "Diamond Dust", described as the world's "most glittery glitter" (equally forbidden to Kapoor).[72][73] Semple claimed its performance exceeds the Vantablack S-VIS variant.[74]
In 2021, Semple released a pigment called TIFF Blue, aiming to "democratise" Tiffany Blue, a shade of blue trademarked by Tiffany & Co.[75] In 2021, Semple released a limited edition pigment called Incredibly Kleinish Blue, aiming to "democratise" International Klein Blue, a shade of blue patented by Yves Klein.[76][77] In 2023, Semple released a pigment called Pinkie, aiming to "democratise" Barbie Pink. Mattel employees and associates are explicitly banned from buying or using the pigment.[78][79]
Freetone is an Adobe plugin, that was created in response to the licensing fallout between Pantone and Adobe Inc.[80] Freetone is a collection of 1,280 colours that mimic the Pantone colour pallete with a similar set of number codes.[81][82] Semple barred any employees and associates of Adobe or Pantone from buying, using or downloading Freetone.[82][83]
Semple has supported Amnesty International and has created artworks for the Freedom of Expression Campaign.[84] He also spoke for Amnesty about positive mental health being a Human Right alongside Joe Pantoliano and Colm O'Gorman during Ireland's "First Fortnight" arts festival.[85]
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2011 Semple was made an Ambassador for mental health charity Mind.[86] He initiated the Creative Therapies fund within the organisation which he launched with Stephen Fry and Melvyn Bragg and curated the exhibition & auction "Mindful"[87] that included works from Jake & Dinos Chapman, Mat Collishaw, Tracey Emin, Mona Hatoum, Sarah Lucas and Sebastian Horsley.[88]
Semple recently created a whole body of work and short film for a solo booth at London's ART13[89] with all proceeds in aid of the Mind Creative Therapies fund[90] For Mind's Time To Change campaign he designed a series of well wishing e-cards and temporary tattoos[91]
"My Happy Place" was a citywide exhibition in Coventry that coincided with 2015 World Mental Health Day and saw live events, film, food, art and sculpture initiated and created by Semple with Coventry's The Pod collective. Semple's Happy Place consisted of a Unicorn shaped spinning disco mirror ball.[92]
The Creative Therapies fund has backed projects nationwide since 2012 and has stepped in to save some groups where local government funding had been cut. [93][94]
Semple was vocal about the Arts Cuts imposed following the recession making an artwork "The First Cut" which was exhibited in Hong Kong as part of "The British Cut" exhibition, showcasing major contemporary artists latest work and pictured the scene from the demonstration.[95] and in The Huffington Post[96]
Semple met with Vince Cable to discuss the impact on artists lives with proposed changes to Artists Resale Right so lower priced sales still counted as it make a difference to younger artists, also for the royalty to pass to their children, saying "The art world should be trying to support and nurture subsequent generations of talent."[97][98][99][100] He spoke to the Student Handbook about this "The creative industries count towards a huge proportion of our economy, it's something like 16% which is nearly as much as banking. It's short-sighted of the government to put these cuts in place because as a country we are extremely creative, whether it's advertising, graphic design, film making, fashion; we lead in all these fields".[101]
Semple supported MTV Re:Define exhibition at The Goss-Michael Foundation in 2011 with auction proceeds donated to MTV Staying Alive Foundation which enables inspirational youngsters to fight HIV and AIDS in their local communities. He has also supported the Africa Foundation via Art for Africa with Sotheby's, Macmillan De'Longhi Art Auction at Bonhams and the medical foundation Freedom from Torture's art auction where he talks to Claire Hazelton "Art is one of the most powerful things we've got. It does really work, beyond fundraising."[102][103] In 2011 Semple was featured on postcards for the Anaphylaxis campaign.
Semple featured his work "Nimrod" in the AKA Peace exhibition curated by Jake Chapman with The ICA in 2012 for Peace One Day.[104][105][106]
"Deep House Music" was painted for the Articulate exhibition held at Victoria Miro Gallery in 2013 in direct response to moving children's testimony recorded in South Africa and Rwanda, in aid of children's art charity Dramatic Need.[107]
Semple spoke to David Hayes about his early years: "Growing up in the 1990s in Bournemouth I was into indie style – I wore checked trousers and jumpers that were too baggy and had holes in them. Grungy, but in a naff sort of way. The group Placebo were a big inspiration. Brian Molko was amazing; it was as much about how he looked as what he sang. I used to travel up to Harvey Nichols in London and buy Hard Candy nail varnish... I don't think my style is that outrageous but people beep their car horns at me or shout out of the window."[1] Semple mentions his motivation growing up in a small town devoid of culture with just neighbouring extremes of entrepreneurs or rough neighbourhoods and his self-education over three years reading in Borders every morning.[108]
Semple took the persona of "Nancyboy" after his near death experience and produced over 3000 works of art between 1999 and 2003 that were sold via eBay each night at a set time creating an early online community and becoming one of the first artists to utilise the internet in their work.[13][14]
In 2002 he had his first major London solo exhibition at the A&D Gallery.[5][109] It was called Stolen Language – the art of Nancyboy. It incorporated fragments and images that he identified with in popular culture and remixed into a personal narrative consisting of large paintings, screen prints, sculptures, T-shirts and panels.[110] 10 final "nancyboys" were created in 2009 and auctioned once again via eBay with all proceeds donated to the UK charity Mind after his grandmother became diagnosed with schizophrenia.[47][111]
The Nancyboy Decade exhibition was organised by the original collectors who exhibited their early drawings and canvases commemorate to the 10 years.[112]
Debbie Harry bought her first Semple painting in 2004, he suggested the same price of $200 she had paid for her first Basquiat canvas in memory of this.[113]
Semple was commissioned to create a memorial with debris collected from the 2004 Momart warehouse fire.[8] Semple packaged them in 8 plastic boxes under the title Burn Baby Burn. The boxes were then painted over and had slogans in pink lettering, including "RIP YBA", which referred to the Young British Artists, by whom much of the destroyed work had been created. Semple stated that amongst the debris collected there were fragments of Tracey Emin's artwork, Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995 ("the tent").[114]
In 2005 Semple produced an exhibition of his works in an abandoned Docklands warehouse in East London, called Post Pop Paradise. Also that year he included a painting into the Saatchi Gallery which included the words "British Painting Still Rocks" as reaction to Charles Saatchi's comments that the YBA artists would be nothing more than a footnote in the history of art.[115][116][117][118]
In 2006 Semple's exhibition "Epiphany" at Martin Summers Fine Art in London questioned the role of religion in modern life[119] in a series of in-your-face paintings that alluded to popular culture, graphic media, advertising and social issues.[120]
In 2007 Semple exhibited "Fake Plastic Love", an exhibition of billboard scale paintings housed within a blacked out environment of East London's Truman Brewery.[2] In 2009 he held his first New York solo exhibition "Everlasting Nothing Less" at Anna Kustera Gallery involving large scale paintings and sculpture which also toured London and Milan.[121]
Semple's "The Happy House" series of paintings built upon the themes explored in earlier collections of fears about his generation, as well as commentary on the artifice of media obsession, politics and disappointment. For the first time he touched on more personal narratives as well as current cultural and political issues. His self-portrait 'A Pounding Outside Poundland' captured the moment Semple was assaulted.[122] He told Esquire: "I feel I have been analysing popular culture from outside itself by using its own languages".[123]
The solo exhibition "It's Hard To Be A Saint In This City" in Hong Kong heavily featured text in and on sculptures, exploring poetry and song lyrics of adolescent dreaming and isolation.[7][124]
Solo exhibition "Suspend Disbelief" (2013) in London explored ideas of superstition and illusion.[125] Semple created an immersive exploratory environment with film, paintings and sculpture throughout 15 rooms, where magic tricks were performed by holograms, childhood experiences revisited and he questioned the cycle of life and death within a projection dome where hundreds of flowers perpetually bloom in time lapse. "It's like life without any death because they never wilt."[57][126]
"Anxiety Generation" (2014) at Delahunty Gallery on Bruton Street was reviewed in Modern Painters by Jonathan R Jones.[citation needed]
"My Sonic Youth" (2015) held in Fabien Castanier Gallery, Los Angeles, talks about the cultural shift that teenagers have seen in the decades since Kurt Cobain's death. [127]
In 2007, Semple co-curated and featured in the 'Black Market' at the Anna Kustera gallery in New York with Just Another Rich Kid. Showcasing their collaborative installation piece 'Team Dream Chaos' depicting a provocative teenage girl's bedroom.[59] Semple has curated exhibitions "Mash Ups, post pop fragments and détournements" at The Kowalsky Gallery in 2008 for the Design and Artists Copyright Society[128][129] and 'London Loves The Way Things Fall Apart' (2009) and "This Is England" (2011) for Galleria Aus18, Milan.[130]
Semple's exploration of British cultural themes have also been seen in the exhibition "This Is England" (2010) initially held at The Aubin Gallery (which he directed in association with Aubin & Wills and Shoreditch House) featuring artists Sarah Maple, Nicky Carvell, David Hancock and Richard Galloway which then toured to Milan.[131]
In 2011 Semple curated the Mindful exhibition in the 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m2) Old Vic Tunnels featuring artists including Jake and Dinos Chapman, Tracey Emin, Mona Hatoum, Mat Collishaw, Sebastian Horsley, Sarah Lucas, Barney Bubbles, Liliane Lijn, Tessa Farmer and Semple. It coincided with a gala dinner at The Imperial War Museum hosted by Stephen Fry and Lord Melvyn Bragg to raise funds for the Mind creative therapies fund and explore the relationship between creativity and mental health.[132][133]
