Michael Simms: Body Talk

Michael Simms’ forthcoming exhibition Body Talk explores the kinaesthetic potential of the human body. Drawing on recent research into movement-based performance practices, Simms employs automatic drawing and open mark-making to capture physical expressions of the body in motion.
Interrogating traditional representations of masculinity, Simms examines how the male body has often been depicted as strong, heroic, and dominant – reinforcing patriarchal ideals. Influenced by his training at the Julian Ashton Art School, he reflects on how these conventions intersect with queer art, questioning hypermasculinity as both a protective armour and a barrier to intimacy. Body Talk presents works that engage with these tropes – some reinforcing them, others subverting them – revealing the body in states of both strength and vulnerability.