SIMON PIERSE - PAINTINGS OF LADAKH
http://www.simonpierse.co.uk

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I am attracted to barren landscape for reasons I cannot explain. Ladakh is extremely barren, lying as it does in the rain-shadow of the western Himalayas, and most of the colour in its dry landscape is either in the emerald patches of crop-fields beside the river Indus or in the dark-blue sky. Cerulean blue and cobalt violet, together with a kind of buff are colours that I would say make up the visual essence of Ladakh's landscape. In recent times, irrigation has also added to the snippets of bright green and increased the numbers of poplar and willow trees, planted in order to raise levels of oxygen. But the identity of Ladakh's landscape has also been shaped by almost two thousand years of Buddhism, just as the green Welsh hills that I can see from my window as I write this have been shaped by the nibbling of millions of sheep over the course of centuries. In 1997 I wrote: 

Although only half of Ladakh's people are Buddhists, the whole landscape echoes with praises to the Buddha; countless thousands of acts of devotion make up the mile-long walls of mani-stones, each one engraved with the mantra Om mani padme Hum. The same endless invocation is spread on the wind by coloured prayer flags, which flutter from every high place. Near Shey, whitewashed chorten dissolve slowly back into the grey-brown desert like forgotten sandcastles. 

The Tangka and Alchi paintings grew out of a realisation of the importance that visual manifestations of Buddhism such as mani-walls, prayer flags and mural decorations have in shaping the identity of Ladakh's landscape. Their various rhythms, colours and patinas are something that I have drawn on in my work in a metaphorical rather than literal way as a means of coming closer to a visual and emotional truth.

Solo Exhibitions

1989  Old Fire Engine House, Ely

1991  Phoenix Gallery, Lavenham

1993  St. Martin's Gallery, Melbourne

1995  Red Sands, Blue Gums, Y Tabernacl, MOMA, Wales

1996  The Empty Landscape, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

1997  Between Two Worlds: Paintings of Ladakh, Y Tabernacl, MOMA, Wales

1997  A Sunburnt Country, Commonwealth Institute, London

1998  Recent Paintings, Center Gallery, Glen Arbor, Michigan

1999 Simon Pierse - Paintings of Ladakh, Asianart  on-line exhibition

1999  Paintings of Ladakh, Oxford Gallery

2004  A Sometimes Cloud, Old Fire Engine House, Ely

Selected Group Exhibitions

1979  Figurative Painters, Opix Gallery, London

1980  Artist's Choice, Exhibition and Tour, Saint Andrews & Perth

1980  Woodlands Gallery, London

1981  Spirit of London, Royal Festival Hall, London

1985  Woodlands Gallery, London

1988  Eastern Arts Open Exhibition and Tour

1988  Thaxted Festival Exhibition

1989  Phoenix Gallery, Lavenham

1990  Heffers Gallery, Cambridge

1991  Phoenix Gallery, London

1991  Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London

1991  Chappel Galleries, Essex

1991  East Anglian Gallery, Great Bardfield

1991  University of Essex Gallery

1992  Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London

1993  Aberystwyth Artists, Deffet Francis Gallery, Swansea

1993  London Group 80th Anniversary Exhibition, Barbican Gallery, London & Tour

1994  Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London

1994  Laing Landscape Competition

1994  Singer & Friedlander Competition, Mall Galleries, London

1995  Gregynog Hall, Powys

1995  Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London

1995  Welsh Open Exhibition, Aberystwyth Arts Centre

1995  Wexas Travel Painting Competition, Mall Galleries, London

1996  Drawings For All Competition, Gainsborough's House, Sudbury & Tour

1997  Oriel 31 Open Exhibition, Newtown, Wales

1997-8  Wales Drawing Biennale, Aberystwyth, Wrexham, Cardiff & Swansea

1998  Watercolour Society of Wales - New Works, Y Tabernacl, MOMA, Wales

1998  Watercolour Society of Wales - Summer Exhibition, Brecknock Museum and Turner House, Penarth

1998  Royal Society of British Artists, Mall Galleries, London

1998  Oriel 31 Open Exhibition, Newtown, Wales

1999  Watercolour Society of Wales - Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy, Turner House Gallery, Penarth, Newport Museum

2000  Watercolour Society of Wales - Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy, Turner House Gallery, Penarth

2001  Watercolour Society of Wales - Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy, Turner House Gallery, Penarth, Newport Museum

2000  Watercolour Society of Wales - Turner House Gallery, Penarth

2002  Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, Mall Galleries, London

2002  Watercolour Society of Wales, Y Tabernacl, MOMA, Wales

2002-3  Wales Drawing Biennale, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Oriel Wexham 

2003  Royal Watercolour Society Spring & Autumn Exhibitions, Bankside Gallery, London

2004  Royal Watercolour Society Spring & Autumn Exhibitions, Bankside Gallery, London

2004  Then and Now: 200 Years of the Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London

2004  Aqua Nova, Royal Watercolour Society Autumn Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London

2004  Fforma, Saint David's Hall, Cardiff; Theatre Mwldan, Cardigan

2004  Twelve by Twelve: Fforma at Toko, Aberystwyth

2005  Fforma, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold

2005  BBC Radio and the Artist Competition (a winner) Bankside Gallery London and on-line exhibition

2005  High Life, Royal Watercolour Society Autumn Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London

2005  Fforma, Stark Gallery, London

2005-6  Wales Drawing/Arlunio Cymru, Aberystwyth Arts Centre & Wrexham Arts Centre

2006  Royal Watercolour Society Spring Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London

2006  Fforma, Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Gallery, Gwynedd

2007  150 Years of the Alpine Club, John Mitchell Fine Paintings, Old Bond Street, London

2007  Living Artists of the Alpine Club, Alpine Club, London

2007  Royal Watercolour Society Spring Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London

2007  Institute of Contemporary Art (ICIA), Mumbai, India and Bankside Gallery, London

2007  Watercolour Society of Wales, Swansea Grand Theatre, Swansea

2007  Fforma, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold