Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

Mach-rasi-10rgb2-00107-10613 Luckily someone clued me in on this annual event.  Brilliant concept.  I wish an institution in New York City would do something like this.  

The Royal Academy is a privately funded organization led by artists.  It is a place that continues to educate artists.  The Academicians, who run the organization are all elected by their peers.  They are artists, printers, architects, sculptors, etc. 

The summer exhibit takes around 11,000 submissions of artists around the country to participate in this annual event.  The selection process is carried out by the Academicians.  Emerging as well as distinguished artists submit their work.  Left are roughly 1300 pieces to be shown and sold.  Herculean efforts as far as I am concerned to curate this show.  There are nine rooms not including two outdoor locations for sculptures.  Each room is curated by a theme.  For instance, there is one room with a variety of smaller pieces where there are easily 30 pieces on a wall.  There are other rooms where there are only 5 pieces per wall.  There is also a room devoted to architectural pieces including pieces around that theme on the wall. 

Personally, I was in heaven.  I walked through each room at least five times and plan on going back.  The breadth of work was astounding.  This show gives collectors and opportunity to purchase work from up and coming as well as high profile artists.  Many of the up and coming artists come out of the academy. 

Photos were not allowed.  I got scolded by the security.   When an array of work gets together, it is always fascinating to me how the distinguished artists work stands out.  At least it does to me.  I zeroed in on a few pieces I liked by Chris Orr who I found out later is part of the academy.  I bought one of his pieces that is a lithograph of the Cyclone at Coney Island.  The other piece, an etching of skaters on Wolfman Rink was done by Bill Jaklin.  The third piece I bought was something I was drawn to that everyone in the family might wonder why but I just loved it.  A green heron sitting in a tree and the entire background of the piece is red with a woman standing with a gun.  Titled, Green Heron Printed in Red/A Mum with a Gun by Chris Humpherys.

What I didn't buy but which I could have was the following pieces.  A large long black and white photograph of trees by David Hockney that was incredible named The 25 Big Trees Between Bridlington School and Morrison's Supermarket on Bessingly Road, in the Semi-Egyptian Style.  He then took the black and white and did it again 3 separate ways in color.  You have to ask at the front counter about the price for those which means it must be outrageous.  A piece called Poverty Party at the White House by Rosson Crow which was a play on fantasy and fiction that was awesome.  Dripping of colors and roses at a party in the White House.  3 tins houses stacked on top of each other was a sculpture by Richard Wilson that I really liked.  Babel Towers by David Mach for a cool $112,000 pounds was a collage of the poverty make-shift homes on top of each other.  Think of Brazil.  Very cool.  Raw World, We Are Making a Better World by Ken Howard was moving.  Names of all the countries at war right now was dark yet current with the times.  There was this very cool drawing in the architectual room called Vision for Madrid and when I looked to see who did it, it was Zaha Hadid.  The architect who designed the new Maxxi Museum in Rome.  But my favorite piece of all was the gorilla called Silver Streak by David Mach.  Genius.  A gorilla made out of wire hangers.  All the pieces of the hangers used for hanging on the bar jutted out to create this 3D look.  A cool $250,000 pounds. 

An absolutely incredible show.  Also, now that I am going through each artist and looking at their careers on line, I am even more impressed.  Sorry no pics.

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Comments (Archived):

  1. atryon

    Looks like an amazing exhibit – I’m looking it up now to see what photos I can find online. Did you use the iPhone app? It is $6 but may be worth it if it includes photos of the work. An article I found in Wallpaper does have a few photos: http://www.wallpaper.com/ga…Would love to be part of creating an exhibit similar to this in NYC if anyone is interested!

    1. Gotham Gal

      I saw people using their iPhone and figured they had an app. I’m down with the blackberry so no app for me. Will read the article.

  2. William Mougayar

    We haven’t heard of afternoon tea nor brunches yet.The Capital hotel a cute SLH behind Harrods has a quality tea service in small cozy rooms, and if there’s one place I choose for week-end brunch it’s the Lancaster hotel.One more fun/crazy restaurant to suggest: Sketch.

    1. Gotham Gal

      Thanks.

  3. rebeccastees

    I like Chris Humpherys! Online, his cave paintings are cool. I like the women with their head above water…..