Joe Simpson - Across America (Catalogue 2)

After his solo exhibition at The Royal Albert Hall in 2012, Joe Simpson spent a month traveling across America, making drawings and sketches along the way to document the journey. 

Upon returning back to his studio in London, he developed these studies into large oil paintings.  

Following on from his last project where he painted portraits of famous musicians, including Brandon Flowers, Paloma Faith, Jamie Cullum and Maxi Jazz (which was shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award 2011) the paintings for ‘Across America’ are a departure from portraiture, focusing mainly on empty streets, cities and suburbs.  
 

Joe Simpson says of this series ‘Many of these images are about the absence of people, they are scenes and locations that people inhabit and where stories could happen.  Using light and composition I tried to create a specific atmosphere within these pieces, I wanted them to feel cinematic, quiet and haunting.’  

 Joe drew inspiration from artists such as Edward Hopper, Stephen Shore, Gregory Crewdson and the tradition of great American road trip movies (which has been a re-occurring influence in Joe’s work).

 

Whilst working on ‘Across America’, Joe had a personal relationship with a girl that started and ended during the year long project.  There are lots of references to the relationship throughout the paintings, such as titles ‘The Letting Go’ and ‘Fare Thee Well’. The girl in question is the member of the band ‘Keston Cobblers’ Club’, and she responded artistically in her own way to the break up by writing a song entitled ‘Beam’ which she describes as ‘an open letter to Joe’ and contains many references to America. 

 Joe used this track as the official song for his project 
 

This catalogue features paintings and drawings from Pittsfield to San Francisco.

Catalogue Number 1 features New York to Pittsfield.

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