Stuart Semple: Official Homepage https://stuartsemple.com Official website of the British contemporary artist Sat, 05 Apr 2025 21:18:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 BLOOM – Stuart Semple X Durrell https://stuartsemple.com/bloom-stuart-semple-x-durrell/ Sat, 05 Apr 2025 21:18:15 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10916
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A UNIQUE INSTALLATION TO SUPPORT GERRY'S VISION

We are pleased to unveil an ambitious collaboration between Stuart Semple and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The pioneering ecologist Gerald Durrell would have celebrated his 100th anniversary this year.

To celebrate the occasion and provide funds to keep his ecological vision alive Stuart has  created a brand new installation for Jersey Zoo comprising of several thousands of sculptural flowers.

Each is produced using state-of the art 3D printing and innovative bio resins made of plant fibres and castor oil.

Based on Gerry’s favourite species of wildflowers the installation will live in the grounds of Jersey zoo from later this spring.

The flower sculptures are available to purchase online now with 100% of the proceeds going directly to support Durrell with their conservation work around the globe. Once the installation is finished the flowers will be sent to you to live with forever. 

Each flower purchase comes with entry to the zoo so you can visit your flower as part of the display. 

BUY A FLOWER

]]> IN CINEMAS NOW: Placebo – this search for meaning. https://stuartsemple.com/in-cinemas-now-placebo-this-search-for-meaning/ Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:11:39 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10887

OUT NOW IN CINEMAS WORLDWIDE

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We are excited to share that Stuart Semple features in the new Placebo film .

The much-anticipated documentary, This Search For Meaning, about the iconic band Placebo, is now showing in select cinemas around the globe.

As a long-standing collaborator of the band, Stuart features throughout this compelling film. But he’s not alone—This Search For Meaning also brings together insights from a stellar lineup, including YungBlud, Robbie Williams, Shirley Manson, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

WATCH TRAILER

Helmed by the visionary Scottish filmmaker Oscar Sansom, known for his trailblazing work in music films, this documentary isn’t your typical music story. Rather than presenting a conventional origin tale, it offers a bold, intimate exploration into Placebo’s ongoing impact and legacy. Through a visual meditation, it delves into contemporary themes such as surveillance, culture and scrutiny, sexuality and gender identity, addiction and trauma, and the pressing climate crisis.

Prepare to be captivated by fresh musical performances, rare personal archives, and thought-provoking contributions from noteworthy cultural figures from across the arts.

To find a screening near you follow this link: 

placeboworld.co.uk/pages/tsfm-about

Stefan Olsdal, Stuart Semple & Brian Molko – This Search For Meaning premiere, London 2024

]]> David Bowie: Sound + Vision exhibition & auction for War Child https://stuartsemple.com/david-bowie-sound-vision-exhibition-auction-for-war-child/ Sat, 10 Aug 2024 07:02:14 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10839

Auction 17th September – 1st October 2024

Exhibition: 26th & 27th September 180 Studios, London

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Curated by Art on a Postcard founder Gemma Peppé, Sound & Vision features new work from Stuart Semple, National Portrait Gallery BP Portrait Award-winning painter Ishbel Myerscough, Harland Miller, Jonathan Schofield, and Andrew Pierre Hart who currently has a show at The Whitechapel Gallery. Other highlights come from Leo Costelloe, Julia Soboleva, Peter Messer and Joseph Dupré.

Presented by War Child and curated by Art on a Postcard, Sound & Vision is a brand-new annual exhibition and auction raising money to support children living through conflict.

Each year, leading artists will respond to one iconic song lyric, and for its first edition, 33 artists have responded to the David Bowie lyric, “We Like Dancing and We Look Divine,” from his anthem Rebel Rebel.

Bowie used his creativity to support War Child throughout his career. In 1994, Bowie, Brian Eno, and Athena Eno curated Little Pieces from Big Stars, an innovative exhibition raising funds for War Child. Thirty years on, Little Pieces from Big Stars inspires this exciting new initative from War Child and Art On A Postcard – kickstarting Sound & Vision.

2024 also marks the 50th anniversary of Diamond Dogs, the album featuring the iconic track. Curated by Gemma Peppé, founder of Art on a Postcard, Sound & Vision includes art by George Underwood, a lifelong friend of Bowie renowned for his work on Bowie’s legendary album covers like Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust, among others.

The online auction will take place from 17 September to 1 October, with a chance to see the works in person at an exhibition hosted by 180 Studios on 26 to 27 September.

All money raised from the auction will help War Child deliver its vital work in 14 countries worldwide.

]]> Stuart Semple teams up with TBWA/MCA raising awareness with Hostile Design campaign https://stuartsemple.com/stuart-semple-teams-up-with-tbwa-mca-raising-awareness-with-hostile-design-campaign/ Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:48:00 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10854

Hostile Architecture spotlights the impact of cruel design on the homeless

The campaign from TBWA\MCR, UK Artist Stuart Semple and hostiledesign.org shines a light on barbaric anti-homeless architecture

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Hostile architecture is designed specifically to make homeless people feel unwelcome and uncomfortable in public spaces. Spikes on surfaces are becoming increasingly prevalent in towns and cities and sending a barbaric, inhumane message to people who need to be helped not hurt.

To spotlight the disturbing rise of this hostile architecture, TBWA\MCR, has teamed up with renowned UK artist Stuart Semple and HostileDesign.org. A new campaign features a series of posters strategically placed across London, bringing attention to anti-homeless architecture.

The creative series of posters cleverly incorporates the hostile design into the campaign with each piece meticulously designed to be a bespoke fit for a site of anti-homeless spikes. The real spikes pierce images of sleeping homeless people to show the pain inflicted upon people and show the inhumanity of the urban design in action.

“Life is hard enough for people forced to live on the streets. We were shocked to discover this type of design exists and in some cases is commissioned by our own councils,” explains Gary Fawcett, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\MCR. He continues: “We felt compelled to create something that would help to raise awareness and educate people on the harsh reality of living rough.”

Each execution of the campaign draws attention to the cruel measures city planners and councils are taking to deter the homeless. Alongside the in-situ executions photography of the campaign will make up a social media campaign to raise awareness of hostile design and encourage people to support Stuart Semple’s hostiledesign.org campaign.

“Hostile Design is so insidious that it’s often easy to miss the true intention of it. Raising awareness so that people can spot what’s happening in the public realm for me has always been the first step in shifting the culture. At the end of the day, design shouldn’t be perverted to harm the vulnerable and city planners and designers should be using their talents to include, nurture and support communities.” says Stuart Semple, Artist.

 

For more information or to support Stuart Semple’s hostiledesign.org campaign please click here. 

]]> MAKE ART OR DIE TRYING – OUT NOW! https://stuartsemple.com/makeartordietrying/ https://stuartsemple.com/makeartordietrying/#respond Sat, 20 Jan 2024 18:38:51 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10672
ORDER NOW

“I searched for the chapter on ‘abject pessimism’ but couldn’t find it. Like Stuart, this book is bursting with unbound positivity and ideas. It is an incredibly generous book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.”
Jake Chapman, Artist

Make Art or Die Trying empowers you to understand and connect with big art ideas and embrace your creative potential, no matter where you’re starting from. This stunning, informative, and inspiring book demystifies influential art concepts of the 20th and 21st centuries, including happenings, performance art, Bauhaus, and Fluxus, making them super-approachable and inviting you to learn, make art, and make change.

OUT NOW – ORDER YOURS:

AMAZON
BOOKSHOP
WATERSTONES
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIGO

FROM THE BACK COVER

This is the book I wish someone had given me.
It explains how to make art that can change the world.
Inside is the sum total of 25 years of my hard-earned lessons.

I want you to steal it all.

I want you to be able to make your mark without nearly dying.
I want you to read this and quit art school.
(Or never go in the first place.)
We’ll look at the biggest ideas in contemporary art.

Then I’ll peel the curtain back on some of my best-known works, and show you how I pulled them off.

Finally, we’ll make art together using everything we’ve learned.

The rest is up to you.

Don’t blow it! The world needs your voice.

Love, Stuart x

“What I admire about Stuart is his prodding, finger-in-the-wound of the art world’s sacred cows and their indomitable egos, something I readily identify with. A swashbuckling, frolicking good ride of a read.”
Kenny Schachter – artist, collector, curator

ORDER NOW

AMAZON
BOOKSHOP
WATERSTONES
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIGO
]]> https://stuartsemple.com/makeartordietrying/feed/ 0 FOMO – new works, available now https://stuartsemple.com/fomo-new-works-available-now/ https://stuartsemple.com/fomo-new-works-available-now/#respond Mon, 01 Jan 2024 19:54:18 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10666
BROWSE WORKS

]]> https://stuartsemple.com/fomo-new-works-available-now/feed/ 0 D.A.B.A. London 8 – 25 September 2023 https://stuartsemple.com/10636-2/ https://stuartsemple.com/10636-2/#respond Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:53:06 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10636

ALL IS JOY STUDIOS

75 DEAN ST, LONDON, W1D 3PU

8 – 25th September 2023

SHOP D.A.B.A.
VISIT D.A.B.A.
SHOP D.A.B.A.
VISIT D.A.B.A.

Tools for De-objectification, 2023

]]> https://stuartsemple.com/10636-2/feed/ 0 Barbiest Pink Out Now https://stuartsemple.com/barbiest-pink-out-now/ Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:32:20 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10611
Pinkie – The Barbiest Pink
Highly pigmented fluorescent matt pink acrylic paint
in a die cut box
12.5 x 4.5 cm
Stuart Semple 2023

*Note: By adding this product to your cart you confirm that you are not Mattel, the owners of the Barbie brand, you are in no way affiliated to Mattel, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Mattel or an associate of Mattel. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this material will not make its way into the hands of Mattel.

Click Here

Mattel, the owners of the Barbie brand, have exclusive rights to ‘Barbie Pink’, a colour mark that prevents others from using it, including pop band Aqua for using the colour on their single ‘Barbie Girl’. Mattel have also painted a huge house in Malibu, consequently they now have a proprietary claim over anyone using the same colour pink for decorating which will be a blow to creators everywhere.

Stuart Semple has released Pinkie – the Barbiest Pink and is sharing it with artists all over the world as long as they are not associated with Mattel, the owners of the Barbie brand, to ensure we all have access to special colours that can be used in artists work.

Pinkie uses a special blend of high quality acrylic resins, optical brighteners and new fluorescent pigments to make a lush flat matte pink so bright your screen can’t show you the vibrancy.

Click Here

As featured in

]]> STUART SEMPLE – HAPPENINGS 2023 https://stuartsemple.com/happenings/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:58:19 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10591
PARTICIPATE

Participate in a Happening near you! 

We are very excited to announce a series of new Happenings around the globe. 

Starting at Glastonbury Festival in June Stuart Semple will collaborate with global communities in over 30 locations including to realize a series of Happenings: ‘Joy Sandwitch’ from South America, to Europe, UK, the USA, The Philipines, Puerto Rico, Canada and just about everywhere in between.

These participatory events will take place across galleries and museums, hackspaces, coffee shops, public spaces, tattoo parlours, private homes, backyards, community centres and university campuses.

Participating in ‘Joy Sandwich’ is totally free and open to all. 

Each happening will be entirely led by the hosting community and will evolve in it’s own unique way. 

The happenings themselves are top secret until the day, but expect to explore ideas of joy, connection community and rebuilding. 

Full list of locations and dates below. 

FIND A HAPPENING NEAR YOU

June 24th

3pm – Glastonbury, UK

Stuart Semple X Shangri La 

Glastonbury Festival 

https://instagram.com/shangrilaglasto

July 7th

7pm – Jerusalem, Israel

Koresh 14 Gallery
14 Koresh st., 4th entrance, donstairs
Jerusalem, Israel

July 11th

3pm – Guildford, UK

New House Art Space

Fays Passage Guildford, Surrey GU1 4SQ

https://www.instagram.com/newhouseartspace

 

July 14th

8pm – London, UK

The Circle London

21 Noel Street, London, W1F 8GP

https://instagram.com/thecirclelondon

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663008976697

 

July 15th

4pm – Los Angeles, California, USA

CANCELLED (sorry!)

IDOLWILD Gallery

338 S Avenue 16, studio A4, Los Angeles, California 90031

 

11am – Blackpool, UK

Aunty Social 

The Comedy Carpet

The Comedy Carpet, Tower Festival Headland, Promenade, Blackpool FY1 1AP (opposite the Blackpool Tower)

https://instagram.com/_auntysocial_

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663043199057

 

1pm – Fort Worth, USA

Modern Menagerie

2900 Race Street, 163

Fort Worth, Texas

76111

https://instagram.com/modernmenagerieinteriors

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663048845947

 

2pm – St Leonards on Sea, UK

Stella Dore Gallery

64 Norman Rd, Saint Leonards-on-sea TN38 0EJ

https://instagram.com/StellaDore_Gallery

​​https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663054442687

2pm – Boston, USA
Mission Hill Gallery
160 Saint Alphonsus St, Boston, MA 02120

 

3pm – Weymouth, UK

Houseworks Dorset + Create & Thrive 

The Waverley Art Room

121 Abbotsbury Road

Weymouth

Dorset

DT4 0JX

https://instagram.com/jodiehousecollage

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663062767587

 

3pm – Austin, Texas, USA

landSPACE: a kunsthalle

1104 Tillery St

Austin, TX 78702

USA

https://instagram.com/landSPACEatx

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663067612077

 

3pm – Montréal, Canada

BBAM! Gallery

808 Atwater Ave, Montreal, Quebec H4C 2G9, Canada

https://instagram.com/bbamgallery

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663079427417

 

5pm – Brussels, Belgium

Gallery Nostrum

Rue Florimond Letroye 13, 1300 Wavre (Brussels) BE

https://instagram.com/gallery_nostrum

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663081854677

 

6pm – Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Screaming Demon Art 

107 E Charleston Blvd , 260

Las Vegas , Nevada 89104 USA

https://instagram.com/screaming.demon.art

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663085284937

 

July 16th

10am – Vancouver, Canada

Rath Art Supplies

Rath Art Supplies, 2412 Main Street, Vancouver BC V5T3E2

https://instagram.com/rathartsupplies

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663088444387

 

2pm – Las Vegas, US

Majestic Repertory Theatre

1217 S Main St, Las Vegas, NV 89104, United States

https://instagram.com/MajesticRepTheatre

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663090229727

 

3pm – Sao Paulo, Brasil

Gringa Fria

Praça 14 Bis, Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brasil

https://www.instagram.com/gringa_fria

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/663093098307

 

3.30pm – St Louis, Missouri, USA

Shameless Grounds

1901 Withnell Ave, St Louis, Missouri 63116

https://www.instagram.com/shamelessgrounds

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664573385887

 

July 17th

6pm – Marlboro, USA

The Colonel Williams Inn

111 Staver Road, Marlboro, VT, USA, 05344

https://www.instagram.com/thecolonelwilliamsinn

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/663618539917

 

July 19th

6pm – Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Congress Coffee

#1A 215 36 Ave NE Calgary AB T2E 2G1

https://www.instagram.com/congresscoffeeyyc

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664576755967

7.30pm – Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Rorys WareHome

1101 York St Cincinnati, OH 45124  USA

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664578972597

 

July 20th 

 

6pm – San Juan, Puerto Rico 

PerlArte

Old San Juan Heritage Foundation 

Calle Lucila Silva 17

Bo. La Perla 

San Juan, PR 00901

https://www.instagram.com/PerlartePR

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664580757937

 

July 21st 

 

1pm – Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Painter’s Brew Art Cafe

Waltermart Cabanatuan

Maharlika Hi-way, Brgy Dicarma, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

https://www.instagram.com/gromyko_semper/

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664582773967

 

5pm – Michigan, USA

Make It UP! Makerspace

Hancock, Michigan, USA

https://instagram.com/keweenawcape

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664585963507

 

7pm – Ottawa, Illinois, USA

Open Space Art Gallery and Studios

223 w Madison St, Ottawa, Illinois 61350

https://instagram.com/openspaceartgallery

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664587768907

 

9pm – Trapani, Italy

DoctorRobotRoseyCakes and Friends

Art Social Club

Via Libertà 11

91100 Trapani TP

Italia

https://www.instagram.com/doctorrobotroseycakes/

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664591790937

 

July 22nd

12pm – Glasgow, Scotland

Subversion GallerySubversion Gallery

4 Ruthven Mews

57 Ruthven Lane

Glasgow

G12 9BG

https://instagram.com/subversiongallery

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664598180047

1pm – Ontario, Canada
Mischief Makers 
247 Coxwell Ave 
ON – M4L 3B4

 

1.30am – London, UK

East Art Gallery

D4 Mainyard Studios

Curie House

Wallis Road

London E9 5LN

https://www.instagram.com/eastartgallery.london/

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664597026597

 

 

1.30pm – Laredo, Texas, USA

Laredo Center for the Arts

500 San Agustín 

Laredo,TX 78040

https://instagram.com/laredoculturaldistrict

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664600085747

 

2pm – Saskatoon, Canada

Jeni + Jacob Things 

The Backyard

915 Empress Street

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

S7K 0Y3

https://instagram.com/Jenithings

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664601319437

 

July 23rd

4pm – Sao Paulo, Brazil

Easter Egg Tattoo 

Gregório Serrão, 21 – Vila Mariana, São Paulo – SP, 04106-404

https://instagram.com/EasterEggTattoo

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664607146867

 

July 27th

11am – Saffron Walden, UK

Mutiiiny HQ

Mutiiiny, Unit C, Cornell’s Lane, Widdington, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3SP

https://instagram.com/_mutiiiny_

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664608240137

 

 

5pm – Ellensburg, Washington, USA

Nuwave Gallery

115 W 3rd Ave. Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA

https://instagram.com/nuwavegallery

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664609794787

 

6pm – Fort Myers, Florida, USA

The Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center

2301 First St, Fort Myers, FL 33901

https://instagram.com/sbdac

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664611810817

 

July 28th

 

6pm – Hollister, Missouri, USA

The Southern Missouri Arts Connection

7 Downing Street 

Hollister, MO 65672

https://instagram.com/somo_arts_co

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664612492857

 

July 29th

1pm – Mexico City, Mexico

VavavaShop

Mexico City 

México 

https://instagram.com/mercadorama

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664613485827

July 30th 

1pm – Berkeley, Gloucestershire, UK

Dr Jenner‘s House
The Chantry
Church Lane
Berkeley
Gloucestershire
GL13 9BN

https://www.instagram.com/drjennershouse

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/happening-stuart-semple-x-dr-jenners-house-tickets-684718841487

 

August 2nd

1pm – Bristol, UK

Let’s Make Art

Arnolfini 

16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA

Bristol, UK

https://www.instagram.com/arnolfiniarts/

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/664614418617

August 4th

6pm – Guildford, UK

Arts in Ramsgate (AiR)

46 High St Ramsgate CT11 9AG

https://www.instagram.com/artsinramsgate

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/689598897867

]]> WINK WINK at the Whitaker until 23rd July https://stuartsemple.com/wink-wink-at-the-whitaker-until-23rd-july/ Thu, 25 May 2023 13:44:16 +0000 https://stuartsemple.com/?p=10582

WINK WINK 

An exhibition celebrating queer lived experience.

Curated by Garth Gratrix  

 

 We are pleased to annonce that Stuart Semple’s work is featured in this group show at The Whitaker Museum in the UK. 

With: Harold Offeh, Ro Robertson, SHARP, Topher Campbell, Chester Tenneson, Jez Dolan, Derek Jarman, Rene Matić, Helen Cammock, Daniel Fountain, Sarah-Joy Ford, Garth Gratrix, Jenkin van Zyl, Trackie McLeod, Harry Clayton-Wright, Jacob Talkowski, Parham Ghalamdar, Sunil Gupta, Lothar Götz, Ally Rosenberg, Will Hughes, Rafal Zajko, Stuart Semple and Jonathan Baldock.

 

The Whitaker Gallery & Museum, Haslingden Rd, Rawtenstall, Rossendale BB4 6RE

 

 

DIRTY NUMB ANGEL BOY
(after underworld)
Vegetable dye transfer
on Saunders Waterford paper
76 x 56 cm
#StuartSemple 2022

WINK WINK is inspired by an article titled ‘Appearing Differently; Abstraction, Transgressions and Capacities‘  an article by critics David Getsy and William J Simmons.

In this, they explored the idea of ‘worlding differently’, in the context of queer lived experience and art making. Queerness can allow us to harness a myriad of experiences – familiar or unfamiliar to us. It refuses a binary definition in favour of embracing nuance subversion and expression in a variety of forms. Its perceived deviance could perhaps be acknowledged as longer-term experimentation and development.

Where are we going, what is the change we want to see in the world? It’s about not waiting for inclusion, in favour of taking up space and sharing space more widely. Can queerness act as a better kaleidoscope to look at life through than the notion of normality?

 

MORE INFO
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