Once in a Lifetime
Lot of life been happening recently. A coping mechanisms have been my annual touchstone events. Sian and I travelled up to London to meet our mates Simon and Vix (Mr & Mrs Biscuits) for our annual visit to the RA Summer Exhibition. We didn’t realise that our visit coincided with Pride. The parade went right past the RA, giving the Disco hot day an extra frisson.
My brilliant submissions had been - of course - rejected (pearls before swine darling!), Simon and Vix asked me what the theme was this year, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember. Judging from what got in maybe cats or war? War cats? Anyway I’ve given up second guessing what will get me in and submit what I think is my best stuff, tenacity is my middle name, it’s actually Lee.
One of the joys of the Summer Exhibition is the randomness of it, and this instantly translated into the layout. The entrance was into one of the small rooms hung with art from us amateur proles. It was packed, a bit too packed and was a tad overwhelming, so I had to get out pretty soon. Fortunately the rooms opened up after that and it felt like the art and I could breath.
There was nothing that really blew me away this year, although there were lots of work I liked, and as usual I responded the most to the figurative work. There was more mixed media work this year and less traditional lino/woodcut prints. I liked this year’s Grayson Perry tapestry ‘Behold Humanity’ and ‘Glass Vase II’ by Shani Rhys James. There also seemed to be more art by us proles this year in contrast to last year, which was a refreshing change.
Art is subjective and I would never dare to pontificate on what is and isn’t art, however there was a fair amount of ‘How the fuck did that get in?!?’ There was a tiny cardboard guitar tacked to the wall which turned out to be by Wreakless Eric and a portrait of Celia Black with the words ‘Surprise! Surprise!’ above her head like a halo which had me pointing at it saying ‘Mine’s better than that!’ You’ve got to let it go Darren. We also enjoyed checking the prices out in the list of works, ‘How much??!!’. Fun for all the family.
The great thing about the Summer Exhibition is that it gives me a renewed enthusiasm for my own practice. There has been a life commitment recently which has been all consuming and I haven’t had the energy or inclination to go to my studio, but today, the day after the Summer Exhibition I got to my studio and started my first new painting in months. A future RA reject? Probably.
Apparently the theme was ‘Interconnectedness’ they may as well have said that the theme was air. I didn’t really get the theme from walking around, although now I come to think of it there were a few pieces which fitted in, especially a bean stork of wine wrappers which stretched from ceiling to floor, which could connect all the people who’ve drunk the wine, or the artist could have a drink problem.