Unsubscribed A Solo show by Simon Shepherd

About

Simon’s work has always favoured the familiar and the iconic, his signature approach infuses elements of the surreal to the seemly ordinary to create something new. We recognise the prominence of tradition in his Heart series through the presence of bricks and mortar, a nostalgic association with ‘home’ and adversely in more recent news ‘walls’. Fascias are fully exposed, weathered by time as we celebrate the fragile endurance their shape promotes. Not only do his hearts crack and break, they are further adorned with features which dare the viewer to engage; push the button, flip the switch or lift the veil.

Vulnerability and decay are explored more psychologically in his figurative works as Simon examines our fragile sense of self worth. Mass production of the perfect woman emerging from her mould, through to the darker risqué cyber imprisionment of your own integrity.

Whether demonstrating the ‘for better’ or ‘for worse’, Simon’s relatable sculptural works present a wildly conflicting perspective on the relationship between progress and tradition. †unsubscribed represents the culmination of two years studio time for Simon and his first self production with producer and curator Charlotte Pyatt.