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Simpson paints exclusively interior scenes that, initially, appear ordinary - classical spaces that feel close to domestic life. We are invited, welcomed, into these rooms by familiar embellishments: armchairs, curtains, tiles, cushions, frills. These elements function both practically and rhetorically, forming part of a visual script that gestures toward multiple, unfinished narratives. But the presence of the protagonist unsettles this familiarity; a sense of stability and calm is quietly disrupted. Her gestures trouble the illusion and, all of a sudden, cast everything into absurdity. Lavish costumes, sentimental expressions, and prop-like objects blur the line between domestic space and theatrical stage, refusing any fixed perception of time or place. With coherence and realism stripped away, the expression of non-sense prevails. No single element is entirely readable - not the set design, her makeup, her costume, nor her expression or body language. 

 

Excerpt from Catherine Li's curatorial essay

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About the artist:

Estelle Simpson (b. 2001, Leeds) is a painter, writer and curator who lives and works in South London. Simpson graduated from Camberwell College of Arts, London, in 2023, and was selected for that year’s inaugural New Blood Emerging Art Prize showcase at Saatchi Gallery. She has since exhibited across the capital, including at Norito Gallery, Outhouse Gallery and Southwark Park Galleries. Simpson is co-founder of the curatorial collective Disrupting Mythologies, whose projects include HEIST at SET Woolwich, and has recently released her first publication in collaboration with South London art bookmakers Shoe Box.

 

The exhibition is accompanied by a literary reading featuring five writers sharing original work and reflections on the themes explored in the show. Moderated by artist Estelle Simpson and curator Catherine Li.