GALES, Simon

1964 - ?

Simon Charles Gales was born at Polstead, near Sudbury, Suffolk in 1964, his mother's maiden name was Collins. Simon was a pupil at Orwell Park School, near Ipswich and studied at Ipswich School of Art 1983-1985, gaining a B/Tech Diploma (Distinction), and at Goldsmiths College, London, 1985–1988 gaining a B.A. (hons) in Fine Art, the joint highest 1st degree in a year which included many prominent artists such as Gary Hume (born 1962), Michael Landy (born 1963) and Ian Davenport (born 1966). The following year six works from his degree show were selected, along with twenty-five others from across the country, to be auctioned by Christie's at the Royal College of Art, the first auction of New Contemporaries by a major auction house. The auction attracted much attention realising some £250,000, with Gales's selling for over four times their estimates. This led to Gales being commissioned by London Transport to paint 'Childhood' to publicise the V & A 'Museum of Childhood' at Bethnal Green for underground stations. Gales was one of the few graduates from Goldsmiths to be included in several conceptual exhibitions such as 'A Spiritual Dimension' in 1989, a touring exhibition organised by Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. In 1991 Gales was again invited to join Craigie Aitchison (1926-2009) in another touring exhibition, this time curated by Gillian Jason Gallery, called 'Cabinet Paintings'. Gales had a series of solo exhibitions at Bruton Street Gallery in Mayfair in 1999 and 2001 which sold out, followed by another in 2003 and he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1991. In 2012, he completed a work especially for the Ipswich Collection for Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service which also hold other examples of his work. He lives and works in Southwest France and at Sudbury, Suffolk, but was working in residence at the Aldeburgh Beach Lookout Arts Club in 2016.
Website: https://www.simongales.com

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Grassmere, Joes Road, Cornard Tye, Sudbury
1991 448 Untitled - polyptych
         547 Childhood
1992 1269 Seen and Unseen
from The Chace, Polstead, Suffolk
1993 1476 The Defendant

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Works by This Artist