Local artist Simon Hopkinson uses his painting to explore the areas of our city that he believes have been left behind, gone unnoticed, or simply glanced at on a daily basis but never thoughtfully observed. Many of the parts of Bristol Simon relishes in are those that others may consciously avoid, or those through which we walk hastily with eyes cast determinedly downward, choosing to gaze at the pavement instead of the city. Artworks like Simon's help us to recognise the people and places that effect our perceptions and constructions of home, even if their contribution is never consciously acknowledged. Over the past nine months Simon has been showcasing his work around Bristol, attempting to draw our eyes to the corners of our own city that we may never have noticed, or may even have willfully neglected. He aims to expose those shadowy places that we can be so quick to ignore but in which he believes we can find a distinct beauty, a unique charm that can come to define a city like ours. The success of these exhibitions has led Simon to produce new paintings for an upcoming exhibition at Bocabar to expand his portrayal of Bristol's unpolished beauty.
Helicon recently had a chat with Simon about his perceptions of home in light of his exploration into all of Bristol's hidden corners.
Helicon: Firstly, tell us how you feel about Bristol.
Simon: As the only proper city in the area it naturally attracts me . It provides endless subject matter for my paintings and I love to wander its streets. I prefer its modern diversity to somewhere like Bath, which has a cloying, heritage feel.
If you were to give someone a tour of everything you love about Bristol, where would be the first five places you would take them?
1 Bocabar - I'm exhibiting there at the moment for the next 2 months.
2 Cheltenham Rd / Gloucester Rd
3 Holy Souls / Arnos Vale cemeteries
4 The subways under Old Market roundabout
5 Anywhere along the river.
2 Cheltenham Rd / Gloucester Rd
3 Holy Souls / Arnos Vale cemeteries
4 The subways under Old Market roundabout
5 Anywhere along the river.
Where do you get inspiration for your paintings?
From the world around me and within.
Tell us about how you got into art - do you have a muse?
A space to be idle when it suits me, away from the eyes of society. It's hard to say if painting effects my sense of home. I could feel at home somewhere not ideally suited to painting or not at home somewhere with the perfect studio. I suppose if I'm not at home somewhere then painting can make me feel more at home by asserting my presence.
Who do you paint for?
Myself and the viewer, real and imagined.
How do you define home? Does your art-making strengthen or effect your sense of home?
A space to be idle when it suits me, away from the eyes of society. It's hard to say if painting effects my sense of home. I could feel at home somewhere not ideally suited to painting or not at home somewhere with the perfect studio. I suppose if I'm not at home somewhere then painting can make me feel more at home by asserting my presence.
If you could make yourself a home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
England but with a lot of sunshine holidays.
Simon's upcoming exhibition opens on the first of December at Bocabar, Paintworks and will run until the 28th of January 2012. For more info head to http://www.bocabar.co.uk/art
Simon's paintings arise from his longstanding interest in British urban scenery. He views areas of sprawl and decay not as eyesores but as subject matter to be explored. An accidental beauty occurs when the modern is adjoined by a crumbling past - a result of the ongoing process of manmade change and natural decline, with nature in control. Form is a secondary, surface concern.
L.O.C & L.E
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