Matthew Simmonds graduated with an honours degree in history of art from the University of East Anglia in 1984, specialising in the art and architecture of the medieval period. After working for several years as an illustrator, in 1991 he studied architectural stone carving at Weymouth technical college. He has worked on the restoration of several major English national monuments, most importantly Westminster Abbey and the cathedrals of Salisbury and Ely. In 1997 he transferred to Pietrasanta, Italy, where he specialised in fine classical ornament in marble. He gained his first recognition as a sculptor in 1999 after winning first prize at the second international sculpture symposium of Verona. Since then he has participated in several sculpture symposia worldwide and has exhibited in the UK, Italy, Germany, Denmark, China, the UAE, Australia and the USA. In 2014 he transferred with his family to Denmark where he now lives and works.
BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
Sculpture shows, symposia, major commissions and prizes
2022 Commission for a large panel sculpture in limestone for a private house in the UK
2018 Downsized - collective show at the Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
Skulpturbiennale Dronninglund 2018 - collective show of the Danish Sculptors' Society, North Jutland, Denmark
2017 Commission for a large sculptural chimneypiece in limestone for a private house in San Francisco, USA
2016 Festival of Islamic Art - National Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE
OnForm 2016 collective stone sculpture biennale, Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire
2015 Commission for the sculpture Ringrone for a private client in Ireland
2014 Contemporary Sculpture - collective show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
On Form 2014 - collective stone sculpture show, Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire
2013 Commission for a sculptural marble chimneypiece for Bonnington House, Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh
Cambridge Art Fair, exhibiting with Lynne Strover gallery, Cambridge
International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Montone, Italy
Modern Baroques - collective show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2012 On Form 2012 - collective stone sculpture show, Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire
The Influence of Historicism II - seven artist show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2011 Commission for a large sculptural marble bench for the entrance to Devon House, Hong Kong
The Influence of Historicism - five artist show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
Sculpture by the Sea - sculpture biennale, Aarhus, Denmark
New Year exhibition of gallery artists, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2010 Commission for three sculpture series Trilogy for the head offices of Swire Properties, Hong Kong
Two artist show with the painter Tony de Wolf, Medici Gallery, Cork Street London
Introducing... Matthew Simmonds solo show, Axia Modern Art, Melbourne, Australia
2009 Light and Shadow - three artist show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
International Sculpture symposium, Korçe, Albania
Royal British Society of Sculptors - Shortlisted artist for the First@108 public sculpture commission
2008 Inner Worlds - solo show, Relais Il Bottaccio, Montignoso, Italy
Messe in Opera per Palladio - collective show, Casa Palladio, Vicenza, Italy
2007 International Sculpture Symposium, Leingarten, Germany
Summer show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2006 Sculture nel Giardino - solo show, Albergo Battelli, Marina di Pietrasanta, Italy
Sculture - solo show, Centro Culturale Luigi Russo, Pietrasanta, Italy
2005 International sculpture symposium, Hualien, Taiwan
2003 1st International Sculpture Exhibition, Guilin Yuzi Paradise, China,
Artisti in Galleria - collective show, Arkad Foundation, Seravezza, Italy
Sculpture in the Garden - collective show, University of Leicester Botanical Gardens, United Kingdom
2002 International Sculpture Symposium, Sant’ Ippolito, Italy
La Pietra Lavorata - collective show, San Niccolò, Arezzo, Italy
Mater Materia - collective show, Florida International University, Miami, USA
2001 International sculpture symposium, Nantopietra, Vicenza, Italy Second prize
International Sculpture Symposium, Aley, Lebanon
2000 Third International sculpture symposium of Verona, Italy Third prize
1999 Second International sculpture symposium of Verona, Italy First prize
1996 International Sculpture Symposium, Teulada, Sardinia, Italy
2022 Commission for a large panel sculpture in limestone for a private house in the UK
2018 Downsized - collective show at the Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
Skulpturbiennale Dronninglund 2018 - collective show of the Danish Sculptors' Society, North Jutland, Denmark
2017 Commission for a large sculptural chimneypiece in limestone for a private house in San Francisco, USA
2016 Festival of Islamic Art - National Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE
OnForm 2016 collective stone sculpture biennale, Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire
2015 Commission for the sculpture Ringrone for a private client in Ireland
2014 Contemporary Sculpture - collective show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
On Form 2014 - collective stone sculpture show, Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire
2013 Commission for a sculptural marble chimneypiece for Bonnington House, Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh
Cambridge Art Fair, exhibiting with Lynne Strover gallery, Cambridge
International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Montone, Italy
Modern Baroques - collective show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2012 On Form 2012 - collective stone sculpture show, Asthall Manor, Oxfordshire
The Influence of Historicism II - seven artist show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2011 Commission for a large sculptural marble bench for the entrance to Devon House, Hong Kong
The Influence of Historicism - five artist show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
Sculpture by the Sea - sculpture biennale, Aarhus, Denmark
New Year exhibition of gallery artists, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2010 Commission for three sculpture series Trilogy for the head offices of Swire Properties, Hong Kong
Two artist show with the painter Tony de Wolf, Medici Gallery, Cork Street London
Introducing... Matthew Simmonds solo show, Axia Modern Art, Melbourne, Australia
2009 Light and Shadow - three artist show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
International Sculpture symposium, Korçe, Albania
Royal British Society of Sculptors - Shortlisted artist for the First@108 public sculpture commission
2008 Inner Worlds - solo show, Relais Il Bottaccio, Montignoso, Italy
Messe in Opera per Palladio - collective show, Casa Palladio, Vicenza, Italy
2007 International Sculpture Symposium, Leingarten, Germany
Summer show, Medici Gallery, Cork Street, London
2006 Sculture nel Giardino - solo show, Albergo Battelli, Marina di Pietrasanta, Italy
Sculture - solo show, Centro Culturale Luigi Russo, Pietrasanta, Italy
2005 International sculpture symposium, Hualien, Taiwan
2003 1st International Sculpture Exhibition, Guilin Yuzi Paradise, China,
Artisti in Galleria - collective show, Arkad Foundation, Seravezza, Italy
Sculpture in the Garden - collective show, University of Leicester Botanical Gardens, United Kingdom
2002 International Sculpture Symposium, Sant’ Ippolito, Italy
La Pietra Lavorata - collective show, San Niccolò, Arezzo, Italy
Mater Materia - collective show, Florida International University, Miami, USA
2001 International sculpture symposium, Nantopietra, Vicenza, Italy Second prize
International Sculpture Symposium, Aley, Lebanon
2000 Third International sculpture symposium of Verona, Italy Third prize
1999 Second International sculpture symposium of Verona, Italy First prize
1996 International Sculpture Symposium, Teulada, Sardinia, Italy
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