Simon Max Bannister

Simon Max Bannister - Artist

Simon Max Bannister

Simon Max Bannister's sculpture is speared by the ecological crisis, with a knowledge that species and habitats are threatened by man’s insatiable fire. It is mostly in his work process where the poetry reveals itself. From splinters of invasive timber, he constructs indigenous birds, nests and wings. These wooden creations become the kindling for a unique lost cast technique, where the incineration of shape becomes the mould for the final sculpture. These negative spaces are cast with bronze, thereby immortalising the species that have become so significant to him. They are naturalistic yet lean toward abstraction as the figures hover between dissolution and form. An advocate for the preservation of wild spaces, he is an ambassador artist for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. His works are inspired by those of Dylan Lewis, Nic Bladen, Wim Botha, Arne Quinze and Gábor Miklós Szoke.

2011

Trans-Atlantic‘ 5 Gyres Plastic Research Expedition’ Residency - January

‘Plastikos’  Cape Town 2 Oceans Aquarium - February

‘Reflection Synthetic’ Exhibition Grahamstown National Arts Festival - July

Franschhoek Private Commission - August

'Water, the [Delicate] Thread of Life, Standard Bank Gallery - October

Durban COP17 COPART Climate Train - November

2012

Tankwa Karoo “Solace” AfrikaBurn - April

Kranshoek Private Commission - August 

Plettenberg Bay Site_Specific - August

‘Ek-Duo’ Exhibition Cape Town GIPCA  - September

2013

Kranshoek Private Commission - January

Tankwa Karoo “Compression” AfrikaBurn - April

London David Shepherd Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year - May

Waterberg Residency - June

Kruger Park Mjejane Private Commission - July

Johannesburg Art Fair, Journey Series, - July

Kranshoek Private Commission - August

Londolozi Private Commission - September

Port Alfred Residency - October

Cape Town, Mana Bay, Private Commission - November

Nelspruit, Journey Series, Infecting the City - December

2014

Lapland Sabbatical - January

Londolozi Residency - February

Franschhoek, Boekenhoutskloof Private Commission - March

Londolozi Residency - April

Tankwa Karoo “The Offering” AfrikaBurn - May

Hermanus Fynarts Festival - June

Simonstown Bronze Age Studio - June

London - Wild Uncovered Collaborative Exhibition - Oct

2015

Rajastan, India, Jawai Private Commission - January

Simonstown Bronze Age Studio - February / December

2016

Simonstown Bronze Age Studio - January / July

?

2017

Simonstown Bronze Age Studio -

Tulbagh Twee Jonge Gezellen Studio - Artist in Residence 

Darwinicorn - AfrikaBurn

Art for Survival - DSWF - Christies, London

?

2018

Totem - Ebony Gallery - Solo Exhibition - Franschhoek

Wanaka, New Zealand

?

?