Michael Simpson wins prestigious John Moores Painting Prize

Date
8 July 2016
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Michael Simpson: The Leper Squint (19), 2015

Wiltshire-based artist Michael Simpson has been awarded the John Moores Painting Prize and £25,000 by The Walker Art Gallery, for his winning painting The Leper Squint (19).

The painting, taken from an ongoing series of works, makes use of Simpson’s recurring motifs. Depicting a ladder going up to a small door, it reimagines the medieval leper squint feature in churches through which sufferers of leprosy (amongst other shunned or afflicted groups) were allowed to peek in so as to “attend” mass.

The painting beat out competition from more than 2,500 entries, and was the fifth time Simpson’s work had been shortlisted for the prize. British artist Gillian Carnegie, who sat on the awarding jury, says: “I felt slightly uncomfortable looking at the cold, austere painting of Michael Simpson…The painting has an elegance that is timeless. For me it was the clear prize winner.”

While South African artist and juror Ansel Krut says: “This is a wonderfully understated, conceptually elegant work… with measured spaces, diffused light and muted tones…It touches on the nature of silence, on distance and on exclusion. But most importantly, it touches on the privileges of looking.”

The awarding of the John Moores Painting Prize trumpets the beginning of the Liverpool Biennial taking over the cities public spaces, galleries and unused spaces in celebration of contemporary art. It runs from 9 July to 16 October.

Simpson’s winning painting will be on display at The Walker Art Gallery throughout, alongside works from the four shortlisted runners up: Selma Parlour, Benjamin Jamie, Talar Aghbashian and Gabriella Boyd, who will each receive a prize of £2,500 and alongside a number of the long listed entrants.

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Selma Parlour: One, The Side-ness of In-Out, 2015

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Benjamin Jamie: Dissolver, 2015

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Talar Aghbashian: Untitled, 2015

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Gabriella Boyd: Birthyard, 2015

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Jamie Green

Jamie joined It’s Nice That back in May 2016 as an editorial assistant. And, after a seven-year sojourn away planning advertising campaigns for the likes of The LEGO Group and Converse, he came back to look after New Business & Partnerships here at It’s Nice That. Get in touch with him to discuss new business opportunities, and how we can work together on creative partnerships, insights, experiences or advertising.

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