Simon Starling Portrait Photo: Stefan Korte Courtesy of The Artist & The Modern Institute, Glasgow Simon Starling audio guides

Simon Starling is fascinated by the processes involved in transforming one object or substance into another. He makes objects, installations, and pilgrimage-like journeys which draw out an array of ideas  About nature, technology and economics. Starling describes his work as ‘the physical manifestation of a thought process’, revealing hidden histories and relationships.

For Tabernas Desert Run 2004, Starling crossed the Tabernas desert in Spain on an improvised electric bicycle. The only waste product the vehicle produced was water, which he used to paint an illustration of a cactus. The contrast between the supremely efficient cactus and the contrived efforts of man is both comic and insightful, highlighting the commercial exploitation of natural resources in the region.

Shedboatshed (Mobile Architecture No 2) 2005 has a similar circularity. Starling dismantled a shed and turned it into a boat; loaded with the remains of the shed, the boat was paddled down the Rhine to a museum in Basel, dismantled and re-made into a shed.Both pilgrimages, provide a kind of buttress against the pressures of modernity, mass production and global capitalism.

Starling’s new work One Ton, II 2005 focuses attention on energy consumption: the huge amounts of energy used to produce tiny quantities of platinum. One ton of ore, mined from the South African open cast mine pictured in the images, was needed to produce the five handmade platinum prints exhibited here.

Simon Starling has been nominated for his solo exhibitions at The Modern Institute, Glasgow, and the Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona.

Simon Starling Tabernas Desert Run 2004 Fuel cell powered bicycle, vitrine, watercolour on paper. Detail of watercolour on paper Courtesy the artist & The Modern Institute, Glasgow enlarge

Simon Starling Installation view: Tabernas Desert Run, The Modern Institute, Glasgow 2004. Including : Three Day Sky 2004 (Ceiling) Lead acid batteries, paint, spray gun Tabernas Desert Run 2004 Fuel cell powered bicycle, vitrine, watercolour on paper Courtesy the artist & The Modern Institute, Glasgow enlarge

Simon Starling Installation view, Turner Prize 2005 exhibition © Tate 2005 enlarge

Simon Starling Installation view, Turner Prize 2005 exhibition © Tate 2005 enlarge

Simon Starling Installation view, Turner Prize 2005 exhibition © Tate 2005 enlarge

Simon Starling Installation view, Turner Prize 2005 exhibition © Tate 2005 enlarge

Simon Starling comments on his work ShedboatShed MP3 1.33MB

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Paul Shepheard - champion - on Simon Starling MP3 853K

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Kate Bush - judge - on Simon Starling MP3 868K

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