Yes We Can, 2009

Simon Yewdall Biography

Simon Yewdall describes himself as “a bit of a magpie” due to his love of constantly gathering imagery and taking photographs. Taking quite an academic approach to his work, once he has what he needs for the desired piece he then brings everything together on the computer to create collage based work. A master of all trades when it comes to artistic practice, Yewdall’s talent lies in this reconstruction of ideas and imagery, in a very post-modern sense, to show new meaning. Yewdall is a fan of macro photography and enjoys the chance element involved in making work. He’s interested in how reproduction can affect and produce new imagery, for example photographs of digital media. He very much dislikes derivative illustration and enjoys and supports the cause of innovative experimental and individual approaches to making art. A love of reading has lead to text being the basis of much of Yewdall’s work, however the emotional content and meaning of his pieces is often represented through the use of abstract imagery, rather that the literal depiction of the words. This approach is illustrated in ‘Yes We Can’, which was made in response to a brief set by Ford and The Sunday Times for a competition they ran in ‘Style’ magazine and online at the end of 2008 called ‘This Is Now’. Hundreds of artists submitted one piece of work that they believed summed up their idea of the ‘here and now’ and Yewdall’s ‘Yes We Can’ collage was chosen as the winning piece due to it’s direct reference to the Obama campaign. As a result, Eyestorm decided to publish a limited edition print of the work with him, which is what can be seen and purchased here. Originally from a small town called Uppingham in Rutland, Leicestershire, 24-year-old Yewdall is currently a student at Loughborough University School of Art and Design where he is finishing his second degree in illustration.