'Sculpture', November 2006
'As part of Workington's multi-million pound redevelopment, Simon Hitchens was invited by Working pArts to design the new town square on the site of a former car park..."Hitchens' work aims to be unmistakably about this town". Geoff Wood, the director of Working pArts, placed confidence in Hitchens' ability to "absorb the peculiarities of place while retaining the integrity of his own sculptural voice.'
'The Week', 19 June 2004
'At the moment, it's hard to miss the work of Simon Hitchens. He has a one-man show at Paul Stolper's gallery and his sculpture, Shining Silence.....can be seen on the pavement opposite Harrods. Hitchens (born 1967 and the grandson of Ivon Hitchens), makes minimalist, light filled sculptures that are calm, clean, balanced and which belie the technical difficulty and drama of there making. Combining ancient and modern materials and computer technology, the works have a contemplative quality....'
Crafts,
November/December 2003, craftnotes
"120 sheets of hand-cut and finished glass laminated together
to form a dramatic sculpture."
The Hill, October 2003, news
"A major new public sculpture directly opposite Harrods....as
part of Westminster
Council initiative to ensure a percentage of any new development goes
towards
public art."
Mayfair Times, October,2003
A MONUMENT to quiet contemplation stands in the hustle and bustle
of Brompton Road. The six-foot high glass sculpture was unveiled at
the end of September...... "It doesn't thump you in the face,"
said Mr. Hitchens, who has worked with Turner Prize-Winner Anish Kapoor.
"It induces Quiet contemplation - the opposite of what's happening
in this main thoroughfare."......Mr. Hitchens described the project
as massively labour-intensive".
What's On in London, Sept 24 - Oct 1, 2003, Private View, Fisun Guner
"Now that glass is officially in vogue and young artists are no longer
afraid to use it as a fine art material, there seems to be no end of
contemporary glass exhibitions ... It still isn't the case, however,
that you often get to see it used as a material in a stand alone, public
sculpture - which is where Simon Hitchens' huge glass structure comes
in ... One side is highly polished and transparent, the other three
are frosted, while you see a tear-shaped blaze of red. The sculpture
which will be lit up at night, will be unveiled this Friday opposite
Harrods. Meanwhile Hitchens, who is the grandson of painter Ivon Hitchens,
is showing smaller-scale sculptural works at Cadogan Contemporary, 108
Draycott Avenue, until October 4."
Kensington & Chelsea News, September 18 2003, Work Speaks Volumes
"A glass sculpture is to be sited on one of London's busiest thoroughfares
... Crown Dilmun commercial director Darren Sheward said: "We felt the
piece was contemporary and strong which we felt reflected the building.
We're really proud of it. It will add a positive dimension to the streetscape."
A council spokesman said: "Formal approval for Shining Silence was confirmed
after Westminster's art advisory panel and the planning committee reviewed
the sculpture in spring of this year." ... The work will be unveiled
by the Lord Mayor of Westminster Councillor Jan Prendergast at a ceremony
on September 26."
FX Magazine, September 2003, Well Stacked
"A giant glass sculpture weighing a stonking 4 tonnes and stretching
to 2.5 in height takes its position on Brompton Road, Knightsbridge
this month ... The Sculpture ... was commissioned by Westminster council
as part of its initiative to encourage better public art in London."
Blueprint, September 2003, Dates
"Simon Hitchens's glass sculpture Shining Silence will be unveiled
opposite Harrods ..."
Design4Design, September 2003
"Set to become a new landmark."
Glass Age, August 2003, Dominic Bentham
"This dazzling work is set to become a new landmark on one of London's
busiest thoroughfares."
Frieze, April 2003, 'Thinking Big', Susan-Marie Best
"... ostensibly one of the largest and most varied exhibitions
of contemporary British sculpture ever held."
Times
Education Supplement, October 25 2002, Peace of Art, Sarah
Bayliss
"a showcase for the therapeutic power of art."
Financial
Times, September 28 2001, The Best of British, Lynn MacRitchie
"... continuing faith in the dynamism and creativity
of British sculpture has been more than justified."
Seeing
The Light, the Three Cathedrals Exhibition, September 1999,
Nigel Draycott
"... its [the sculpture's] presence is a powerful
metaphor for the transforming nature of spirituality for good
..."
Art
Review, Summer 1999 issue, Art Under 1000, Colette Bailey
"Simon Hitchen's abstract, wall-mounted pieces are
carved from Kilkenny limestone and highly polished. Chosen
from a series of work called 'Divine Shapes' ... these works
are surprising and the artist has a healthy disregard for
what one might usually expect from stone. While retaining
a respect for his raw material and its history, the finished
pieces look like they could just as easily be cast from plastic."
The
Times, August 27 1998, Hiscox Opens Art Cafe
"Coffee has long been the fuel of City life. Edward
Lloyd was mixing coffee and insurance in 1688 and that combination
grew into a pretty big business. In 1998 we are adding art,
an addiction of mine and I hope the result is 310 years of
prosperous growth. The current exhibition includes work by
Simon Hitchens."
Evening
Standard, 29 September 1998, Richard Milner
"Divine Shapes by Simon Hitchens where the rough,
grey stone balloons implode like molten blue glass."
The
Mail on Sunday, October 26, 1997, A Thinker's Town with Fire
Burning in its Soul, Jacqui Bealing
"The startling pieces, such as Simon Hitchens' reflective
The Soul, in the grounds of Lewes Castle, are a telling reminder
that Lewes may not be quite what it appears."
What's
On in West Sussex, August 1997, House of Art, Ted Buckley
"two fascinating exhibitions ..."
Eastbourne
Gazette, August 20 1997, On the Sculpture Trail
"Fifteen of Britain's leading sculptors will be displaying
their work."
CM
Observer, July 31 1997, Rock Superstar Coup for Pallant House,
Phil Hewitt
"featured in the exhibition of miniatures are works
by Beryl Cook, Mary Fedden, Derek Hirst and Simon Hitchens."
The
Garden, August 1996, Putting the Art into Gardening, Jill
Billington
"This work is the future, the next millennium."
The
Sunday Telegraph, March 3 1996, Young Blood
"Good to see 'young blood' being given a chance."
Art
Review, November 1994, Art Under ?1000, Mary Rose Beaumont
"Simon Hitchens, grandson of Ivon, 'journeyman' to
Anish Kapoor and Peter Randall-Page, is a fine young sculptor."
The
Times Higher Education Supplement, March 23 1990,
"Stairway to Heaven: Student sculptor, Simon Hitchens
with his 'Ladder of Desire', central exhibit of the annual
sculpture show."
Bristol
Evening Post, March 2 1990, Broken Steps to Success
"Sculptor Simon Hitchens, from Bristol Polytechnic,
admires his latest creation, called Ladder of Desire."
