One of Britain’s leading contemporary sculptors, Simon Gudgeon has won international acclaim and public prominence with his signature smooth style and pared-back, elegant forms. Favoured by Royalty and rock stars alike, his work is sought-after by private collectors and displayed in high-profile public spaces around the world. His Majesty The King and The Prince of Wales both have Gudgeon sculptures, as does rock royalty Nick Mason, founder member of Pink Floyd.
Having grown up on a family farm in the Yorkshire countryside, nature has always been a constant source of inspiration for Simon. He is well-known for his giant abstract bird sculptures in particular, although his work spans styles – from figurative to abstract to kinetic, and varies in scale from gallery pieces to monumental works.
Outdoor Sculpture
Since discovering his talent for sculpture at age 40, Simon’s rise to prominence was swift and spectacular. His 3m-tall bronze ‘Isis’ was the first sculpture to be installed in London’s Hyde Park in 50 years, while another casting is at America’s National Museum of Wildlife Art in Wyoming. Two of his sculptures feature outside the Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters in Montreal, Canada, and three are installed at London’s most exclusive and luxurious address – One Hyde Park.
The past decade has also seen Simon develop an extraordinary 26-acre sculpture park at his Dorset home. Sculpture by the Lakes features a permanent collection of his work; under the open skies and at scale with its surroundings, its true power can be appreciated. Here viewers can appreciate the character of outdoor sculpture as an ever-changing event, both transforming the landscape, and part of it – altering with the seasons, the weather, the time of day, the differing light, and the passage of time.
Enhance and inspire
In addition to his outdoor art works, Simon has also produced an extensive collection of gallery sculptures, which bring that same power to uplift and enhance into the home environment. Working with his foundry he found a way to cast smaller bronze sculptures with the same high-quality finish of his larger works, but at a more affordable price.
Drawing creative inspiration from Sculpture by the Lakes, Simon has also developed Studio Gudgeon, a range of functional artwork, including benches and hanging seats, fire bowls, gates and fencing to elevate private garden spaces in the same way he has the sculpture park.
All his works embody Simon’s core belief that art must, above all, be a thing of beauty; it must uplift the spirit and enhance its surroundings. On a deeper level it must connect with the viewer, stirring their senses and appealing to their emotions in a visceral and entirely personal way. This is the nature of Simon’s work.
Discover Simon Gudgeon at https://www.simongudgeon.com/ or visit Sculpture by the Lakes. Private viewings available by appointment.
