Opening Reception: Thursday October 8 2009 / 7.00pm – 10.00pm
Exhibition Dates: October 8 – October 29
Carmichael Gallery / 1257 N. La Brea Ave / West Hollywood CA 90038

Simon Birch’s dramatic large-scale portraits are breathtaking in their scale and sophistication. With a refined treatment of tone color and astute awareness of textural rhythms, the award-winning Hong Kong based painter and multimedia artist’s new oils on canvas dazzle and excite in their glorious portrayal of fluid human motion and fragmented emotional states.

Over time, Simon has created a deeply personal style which fuses striking figuration with abstract deconstruction. His ability to identify, shape, amplify and reduce raw physical and internal passion stems from an early interest in the works of Caravaggio, Rothko and Basquiat, but with a bold, distinctive approach that signals his importance as one of the most important emerging painters of his generation. Mesmerizing in their complexity, Simon’s works envelop the viewer and invite them to participate and interpret for themselves what lies within the rich layers of pigmentation and explosive subject matter.

From his early self-produced productions to the gallery shows that have followed, Simon has garnered enormous attention in regional and international media and cultivated a solid extended network of collectors and enthusiasts. His first showcase of works in Los Angeles will be on display at Carmichael Gallery from October 8th through October 29th.