Rich Simmons

Pop Artist

Birthplace Peterborough, England

#162389 Most Popular

About

Contemporary urban pop artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries and museums all over the world. He is well-known for his work in stencils and spray paint, influenced by pop art and comic artists from the 1950s and 60s as well as Renaissance techniques in composition and golden ratio. His work often explores themes including lust, mental health, and social injustice, and frequently utilizes humor and irreverence to broach taboo topics. 

Before Fame

He rose to prominence in 2011 when he honored William, Prince of Wales and Kate Middleton's internationally publicized wedding with a punk mural in the Southbank of London that was inspired by a famed 1970's photo of Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen.

Trivia

He is the creator and founder of Art Is the Cure, an organization that promotes art therapy. He also created a documentary film by the same name that was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Impact DOCS Award, an NYC Mental Health Film Festival Award, and an AutFest Texas: Autism Film Festival Award.

Family Life

He was born in Peterborough, United Kingdom.

Associated With

In 2022, he and Sophie Tea painted Burberry trench coats for a sustainability and climate awareness campaign by the fashion label Gent London that was featured at London Fashion Week. Proceeds of the coats' sales were donated to environmental organizations.