Gallery VIII Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2014.
The RA summer exhibition 2014 runs from 9th June – 17 August
One sunny day in 1769 James Cook landed on the distant shores of Tahiti. In other news a London gallery opened it’s doors for its very first Summer Exhibition. Almost 250 years later it’s going stronger than ever (Tahiti’s doing pretty good too).
Every artist that submitted their work to the 2014 show had a 1 in 10 chance of making the cut. That’s 12,000 art works submitted for 1,200 final places.
Commiserations to the 10,800 majority who I’m sure will one again pay their £25 submission fees and try again next year.
But for the 1,200 who made the cut – congratulations! While you’ve not quite achieved Hockney solo show status you’re in the door of one of the most renowned exhibition spaces in the UK.
The Small Works Room
I enjoyed this short video of Royal Academician Tracey Emin picking out some favourites from her favourite room…
One of the art works Emin picks out is this quirkily unique painting by Sophie Bannister:
Sophie Bannister, Sandra, 2013, Oil on Canvas, 65 x 52cm. RA Summer Exhibition 2014.
It’s charmingly odd and is just the kind of work I enjoy discovering at such an inevitably random group show as the Summer Exhibition.
The BBC are screening an hour long Culture Show Special from 7pm today or you can catch it via the iPlayer after via this link for as long as it’s available.
You can book tickets for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition here.
If you’re planning on visiting the RA Summer Exhibition 2014 and don’t know London here’s where you need to go:
For up to date info on the RA Summer Exhibition 2014 follow the RA on Twitter.
Royal Academy Schools Degree Show 2014
Don’t forget the RA Schools Degree Show runs from the 13th-29th of June so you can make a day of it and see both shows.
Founded in that golden year of 1769 it’s also the oldest art school in Britain.
