RECENT EXHIBITION
FLUX | Exhibition Stroud, 5 September - 11th October 2025

Simon Tayler is a sculptor whose work explores the intricate relationship between inner experience and its tangible expression. His sculptures, often characterised by their precise construction and dynamic forms, invite viewers to contemplate the fluid nature of human thought and emotion as it takes shape in physical space.

Tayler's artistic journey is informed by a successful career in the film and television industry, where he honed his skills as a special effects designer. This background instilled a rigorous approach to technical execution and imaginative problem-solving, qualities now evident in his sculptural practice. A graduate of Liverpool School of Art, where he earned a BA Hons in Fine Art Sculpture and was awarded the prestigious John Moores Scholarship, Tayler has recently returned to his first love, sculpture, after relocating from London to Stroud in 2024. He has dedicated the past five years to developing the current body of work, culminating in his forthcoming exhibition, ‘Coherent Flux,’ at Aleph Contemporary.

 

Artistic Practice and Philosophy

Tayler approaches his work as a continuous series of experiments, guided by form, materials, and textures. He is particularly interested in the juxtaposition between the organic and the mechanical. His sculptures are conceived as direct expressions of inner states of mind—moments of balance or tension that are both contemplative and personal. He describes thoughts and emotions as "threads or vectors" that can flow smoothly into coherence or become tangled and fraught with tension, with each piece capturing a specific psychological moment.

The curved sections, which form primary structural elements in his work, serve as metaphors for an inner sense of being—a "trajectory of thought" that is often fluid, changeable, and transitional. The transparent, fin-like elements function as metaphorical "listening or transmitting devices." These elements symbolise interaction with the world while also offering a window into the inner self. The bases of his sculptures represent "touching the ground," grounding imaginative ideas into the physical world.

 

Materials and Process

Tayler primarily works with wood, valuing its natural quality and warmth, which he finds sympathetic to his vision. He embraces the material's inherent characteristics, allowing it to guide the outcome of his sculptures. His construction method for curves involves a mathematical factor, yet the process remains empirical, allowing for an aesthetic response that conveys his thought process.

The creation of these intricate sculptures is meticulous and time-consuming. Tayler has developed a unique working method where the repetitive aspects of the craft become a space for contemplation, allowing new ideas to emerge. This process mirrors the conceptual content of his work, where every physical element—from the grounding bases to the dynamic curves and radiating components—contributes to a layered narrative about human experience and perception.