Simon Birch is an exciting Hong Kong-based artist who is fast building a reputation in Asia. His portraits, in particular, have drawn attention due to a number of high-profile commissions and two highly successful exhibitions in the past few years.

In 2003, as well as a collection of striking portraits, that include well-known Hong Kong personalities, Birch added an extra dimension to his work with collaborative pieces, handing over finished works to selected artists, designers and photographers and giving them total freedom to add, take away, re-paint, create or destroy. Award-winning designers Stanley Wong and photographer Wing Shya were among those who took part in this project, which not only reflected the artist's position as a Westerner living in the East, but also mirrored modern culture where so many creative ideas are shared, stolen, mixed and enriched.

Simon Birch paints like everything else he does in life, with passion and intensity. In his portraits, often on a large scale, the subjects are reduced to an austere minimum, with the removal of context, giving an ambiguous intimacy and tension to the work. The faces are intense, yet non-specific in their expression, leaving the viewer to decide on his own perception. Painter, subject and viewer, each has his own subjective interpretation.

Born in Brighton in 1969, Birch began painting at a very early age under the guidance of his parents. His mother is an accomplished painter and art teacher; his father, an award-winning graphic and interior designer. He has pursued a versatile career, which has included design, entertainment, music and sport, but he has continued to paint throughout his life. In 1996 he moved to Hong Kong.

Birch describes himself as an artist immersed in street and eastern culture, a catalyst for many forms of creativity, an artist reacting to the fragmented perception of the everyday world, saturated with images. Inspiration for his paintings may be triggered by the smallest detail - a colour, a face, a texture, a sound, a song. Once he has that spark, he begins painting as soon as possible, compulsively, often for days at a time with little or no rest.

Like Kippenberger, he uses different styles concurrently with the aim of developing himself as an artist, not purely a figurative painter. He is influenced by Abstract Expressionist artists such as Rothko and Richter, whose work has the power to convey strong emotions, as well as, less obviously, Basquiat and graffiti artists such as Futura 2000.

1969
Born in Brighton, England. Took up painting at the age of five.
1996
Moved to Hong Kong.
2000
Simon Birch Paints; Solo Exhibition at the Hong Kong Arts Centre.
2000
Simon Birch Photographs; Solo Photography Exhibition at The Fringe Club, Hong Kong.
2002
Becomes a full time artist.
2002
Raw and Loved; Solo exhibition with an opening at the One-Fifth bar and the show continuing at Meli Melo Gallery afterwards.
2002
Simon Birch; Solo exhibition at the Conrad Hotel, Hong Kong.
2002
Selected work at Zee Stone Gallery, Hong Kong.
2003
93 Million; Solo exhibition opens at One Fifth bar, Hong Kong, continues at Bark Modern Art Gallery, Hong Kong.
2003
Simon Birch; Solo exhibition at Kee Club, Hong Kong.
2003
Creative Hong Kong; Group installation at Taikoo Place for the Swire Group, Hong Kong.
2004
Recent Works; 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong.
2004
Exhibited as winner in the Sovereign Art competition at Pacific Place Hong Kong.
2004
UK. Brighton Fringe Festival; Pop! Group show with Banksy, Jamie Hewlett, James Cauty and NY collective; Faile.
2004
The Art of Protecting Flat Surfaces Solo show at Singapore's Old Parliament house Arts Centre.
2005
My Moleskin group show of artists sketchbooks touring Asia
2005
Box - A Hong Kong Exhibition (curator and contributor) group show at Langham Place, Hong Kong and Shanghai
2005
Finalist in 2005 Sovereign Asian Art Prize (award to be announced)
2005
Evisu denim remix project Hong Kong

Awards
2004 Winner of the Manfred Schoeni Award, voted by members of the public as part of the Sovereign Asian Art Competition.

As well as being a painter, Simon Birch is a gifted DJ, an accomplished photographer, races motorbikes, practises kendo (the Japanese sword-fighting martial art), is a snowboarder, mountain biker, free diver, surfer and is partners in one of the funkiest bars in Hong Kong. He has had no formal art training.

Collections
The Fong family of Hong Kong
The Ho Family of Hong Kong and Macau
Kaleidoscope Kreations
Sony Music Asia
Credit Swiss
JP Morgan
Elite Concepts
Alan Chan Creations
321 Production Company
Pure Yoga
Asian Art Archive
Integrated Design Associates
The Collective Agency New York
Excession Agency London
Instinet Hong Kong

Commissions
Alan and Jaqui Kanuk
David Sayer
Grant and Jane Williams
Paul Van Dyk
Matthew and Hisako Bremner
Stanley Wong
Alan Chan
Nicole Garnaut
Michael Wong and Janet Ma
William Tang
DJ Sasha
Sara Rantzer-Meyer
Lucy Bond
Betty Kadoorie