https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/summer-exhibition-2012/
4 June—12 August 2012
Another year another Summer Exhibition! The Summer Exhibition 2012 from the Royal Academy marks the 244th year of the world’s largest Open Submission Exhibition. I first saw the Summer Exhibition back in 1997 as a wide eyed school pupil. That was the year of Hockney’s “Grand Canyon” and I still have great memories. The first thing to hit the viewer to Summer Exhibition 2012 is the Red Studio style of the first room (Wohl Central Hall), painted in homage to Matisse and intended to bring out the colours of the paintings therein. In this room, the piece that really stood out was number 27, Ian Davenport’s Puddle Painting: Pale Lilac, Yellow (after Bonnard).
The main problem with this exhibition is the shear mass of unrelated, unthemed works, that is also part of the charm. The small scale sculptures on display were reminiscent of an art school open day, and the curators obviously had a near impossible task. There were also a depressing number of ‘Sunday Painter’ works, often dragging the overall standard down.
Highlights that made the exhibition worth seeing were Lucy Glendinning’s Feather Child, an eerie feather sculpture (brilliantly done!) and Raqib Shaw’s The Last Lament of the First Man of the Universe (mixed media, 118cm high circle) a dazzlingly eccentric piece which sadly does not reproduce well, in the flesh the golds are wonderful.
There was also the added attraction of a new video room, where you can sit and enjoy instruments being tortured by Jayne Parker. If you never miss this one go along, if you’re pushed for time or money then watch BBC’s ‘The Culture Show’ episode on it and go on with your life.
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