Curation

Simon Oldfield conceived and curated the first major programme combining art and literature at the Royal Academy of Arts. 

From 2014, working alongside the RA's former Artistic Director, Tim Marlow, and writer and podcaster, Elizabeth Day, Simon curated a critically acclaimed programme in response to the main exhibitions, which saw a series of performances, talks and interviews with world-leading artists, actors. authors and thinkers.  In partnership with Pindrop, highlights include Stephen Fry reading Bethan Robert's award-winning short story during the Summer Exhibition, Dame Eileen Atkins and Dame Sian Philips performing in response to Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932 (pictured); Booker Prize-winners Graham Swift and Ben Okri reading their own short stories against the backdrop of Charles I: King and Collector and Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse; and bestselling author William Boyd reading selected stories amongst the soaring installations of the Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined exhibition. 

In 2015, the programme expanded to include the RA & Pindrop Short Story Award, which discovered new writers including award-winning and Booker-nominated authors.  Born out of this programme was a bestselling book, A Short Affair, edited and curated by Simon Oldfield, featuring original short fiction by bestselling writers with newly commissioned artworks by Tracey Emin and other artists from the RA.

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Simon Oldfield collaborated with the Contemporary Art Society to present works from the Tate Collection and Archive in an exhibition curated by artist Yane Calovski.  The installation at Tate Britain, Ponder Pause Process (a Situation), was part of Tate’s Art Now programme and included works by Liam Gillick, Francis Alys, Vito Acconci, Joseph Beuys, Emma Kay, Christopher Wool, Henri Matisse, Jeff Wall, an unpublished manuscript by Sven Berlin, and the mediative sound work A Flock of Rotation by French artist Samon Takahashi.  The installation aimed to question a range of preconceptions and assumptions that relate to the Tate Collection and conservation of art. 

Image: Installation view of ‘Ponder Pause Process (A Situation)’ at Tate Britain, London, 2010. Photo: Joe Plommer and Matthew Blaney

British fashion brand Burberry invited Simon Oldfield to curate an art and culture programme in response to their collections over several seasons.

By staging live performances and interventions that referred directly to the inspiration for Burberry’s collections. Our programme introduced work by leading artists, writers and actors at Burberry's landmark exhibitions, "Makers House", "Here We Are" and "Henry Moore", in London and Paris. 

In 2008, Simon Oldfield Gallery opened in Soho with "Ascension", which included one of the first solo presentations of paintings by Michael Armitage.

The gallery subseqently moved to East London before establishing a permanent location in Covent Garden, and finally Mayfair. Across a decade, Simon Oldfield Gallery exhibited artists including Eddie Peake, Fiona Banner, Roger Hiorns, Chris Ofili, Katie Cuddon, Juno Calypso, Neal Tait, Jonathan Trayte, Alison Wilding, Mark Titchner and Michael Dean. 

The exhibition programme received widespread critical acclaim and enjoyed the support of the Whitechapel Gallery, the Contemporary Art Society through their curator-led tours programme. 

Collaborations included James Long's Spring/Summer Collection Presentation 2011/2012, GQ Style Art x Fashion, and the launch of Pindrop by Simon Oldfield and writer, podcaster and broadcaster Elizabeth Day. 

Image: New Sympony, Carlos Place, Mayfair