Simon Ling
Simon Ling (b. 1968) is a British painter whose work explores the overlooked and often unnoticed elements of the everyday world. Through his richly textured oil paintings on canvas, Ling delves into the ‘un-named’—the dark matter of cultural reality—capturing the quiet, sometimes decaying objects and constructions that surround us. His subjects range from rotting piles of wood and undergrowth to mundane urban landscapes and anonymous blocks of flats. These scenes, though seemingly ordinary, are elevated by Ling’s acute observational practice and intense engagement with the painting process, transforming them into vibrant reflections on time, perception, and the creative act.
Ling’s approach is marked by a distinctive tension between the painted image and its material construction. His works are characterized by a tight framing and slight distortion that disorient the viewer, preventing a firm grasp on scale or context. This disruption encourages a heightened awareness of how we perceive our environment, forcing us to reconsider the seemingly insignificant moments of daily life. His paintings often draw attention to the detritus of human existence, whether in the natural world or urban spaces, as he explores how we relate to these environments both physically and cognitively.
Ling’s education includes a BA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and an MFA from the Slade School of Art. His solo and duo exhibitions include Simon Ling and Karin Ruggaber (2023) and Simon Ling and David Musgrave (2020) at greengrassi, London, as well as Simon Ling at Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne (2018). His work has been featured in numerous prestigious group exhibitions, including at Tate Britain, Le Consortium in Dijon, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. He has received significant recognition, including the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists in 2018.
Ling’s works are held in major public collections, including Tate Britain, the Government Art Collection, the National Museum of Wales, and the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo. His painting practice, rooted in both outdoor and studio settings, often involves the construction of tableaux from everyday objects such as fruit, food, and plastic bags, further emphasizing the tension between the materiality of paint and the subject of representation.
Represented by greengrassi, Simon Ling continues to push the boundaries of painting, inviting viewers to reconsider the mundane through the lens of acute, meditative observation.
