Curatorial

Simon Oldfield devised and curated the first major programme combining art and literature at the Royal Academy of Arts in collaboration with Pindrop and working alongside Tim Marlow.  

Since 2014, we have worked with world-leading artists, authors and thinkers who are invited to respond to the themes of the Royal Academy's exhibitions, culminating in a rich and diverse collection of writings, performances, talks and interviews.  In 2015, the programme expanded to include the RA & Pindrop Short Story Award, which has discovered new talent including award-winning and Booker-nominated writers.  There are many highlights including Stephen Fry and Gwendoline Christie during the Summer Exhibition, Dame Eileen Atkins and Dame Sian Philips performing in response to Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932 (pictured); Booker Prize-winner Graham Swift reading his short story, Haematology, against the backdrop of the exhibition Charles I: King and Collector; and author William Boyd reading selected stories amongst the soaring installations of the Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined exhibition.

Born out of this programme at the RA was the publication of A Short Affair, a book edited and curated by Simon Oldfield, featuring original short fiction by bestselling writers with newly commissioned artworks by Tracey Emin, Eddie Peake and other artists from the RA.

 Image: Gwendoline Christie performing at the Royal Academy of Arts

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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by Liam Gillick, Francis Alys, Vito Acconci, Joseph Beuys, Emma Kay, Christopher Wool, Henri Matisse, Jeff Wall, an unpublished manuscript by Sven Berlin, and the mediative sound work A Flock of Rotation by French artist Samon Takahashi.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

Simon Oldfield created the curatarial blueprint for a new public arts programme across Mayfair, which informs the public-realm installations such as Yinka Ilori's sculpture on Mount Street.

Simon and his team also curated and produced a multi-disciplinary programme of exhibitions, cultural events and artist residences across a selection of Grosvenor Estate’s property portfolio including Carlos Place and Mount Street.  Simon also conceived, edited and published a quarterly arts magazine, Square, to accompany the programme.

Image: Seduction, Simon Foxall, Carlos Place, Mayfair

Simon Oldfield has an ongoing and advisory relationship with Hauser & Wirth, which begun with an invitation to curate and host an event at Hauser & Wirth Somerset.  

Image: Russell Tovey and Simon Oldfield on stage at Hauser & Wirth Somerset. Russell  read Heart's Last Pass by Douglas W. Milliken, a story from A Short Affair, followed by a conversation about the marriage of art and literature.  Listen to Russell's reading on the Pindrop podcast here. 

In 2012, Simon Oldfield Gallery moved to Mayfair.  Across four locations at Carlos Place, Mount Street and Davies Street our exhibitions programme encompassed a multi-discplinary programme with solo and group shows including Seduction, Honeymoon Suite, Portrait of a Life Half Known and Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Place, one of the UK's first exhibtions to explore the queer art movement and subculture.  Artists exhibited include Matthew Stone, Paul Kindersley, Jonny Briggs, Juno Calypso, Simon Foxall, Judy Blame, Princess Julia, Bruce Ingram, Matthew La Croix and Neal Tait. 

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: Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Place, Judy Blame, Bruce Ingram, Princess Julia and Paul Kindersley