Kerry Simms

Working ethnographically, Kerry Simms’ practice is motivated by reactions to their surrounding environment and observations of society in a wider context. Through abstraction, their work aims to echo the oppressive nature of the cultural and economic forces that shape our everyday. They are interested in the restrictive and all-encompassing nature of free-market ideology within Western society.  

Their work aims to embody both the solitude of consumerist lifestyle in the age of individualism and the labyrinth of bureaucratic practice which has altered the texture of everyday life. In Britain and across western societies, many feel that their democracy is merely a performative act, Simms’ work intends to highlight the tension between the legal body, and the reality. The work can be viewed as relatable and of a universal nature, focusing on a common ground of experience.  

The six colours used in this series of artworks are the most popular colours of shipping containers, contributing a globalization undertone to the work. The use of geometric shapes echo the rigidity of current power structures. The pipeline-like shapes mirror both the flow of dirty money into our economy and the revolving door between business, politics and the media. Varying levels of transparency are reminiscent of the camouflage present in the financial sector, through the use of offshore tax havens and front companies. The work aims to make the invisible framework for domestic issues and policy-making visible.