Living Artists Celebrated at the RA Summer Exhibition 2021
For the last couple of years, I've sent off an entry to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. It's what's called an "open call." For a small administrative fee, anyone can apply. That's the whole point of the Summer Exhibition. It's a celebration of living artists — a huge, colourful jamboree of creativity. Art by famous contemporary artists like Tracy Emin and Grayson Perry hangs alongside work by members of the public.
This year, 2021, my painting, Horae Goddess of Summer, was accepted, and included in the show. Right underneath a small wooden carving by the comedian, Harry Hill.
The 2021 RA Summer Exhibition…
The theme of the 2021 Summer Exhibition is "Reclaiming Magic." As a spiritual artist, working with intuition, symbolism and esoteric ideas, this was right up my street.
The Open Call…
As an artist, it can be tempting, and demoralising, to enter as many open calls as you can find. But galleries will curate their exhibitions carefully. There may be time to produce a piece specifically for the exhibition theme, but I never find I'm organised enough. I am, however, increasingly focused on only entering for exhibitions that "fit."
At the same time, as an artist wanting to exhibit, it can be depressing when your work is rejected. Acceptance by other artists is hugely validating – even more so than acceptance by gallery owners. But art is always subjective and highly personal, and rejection doesn't mean your work isn't valuable and important.
In fact, because art is really a conversation across time between the artist and the viewer, all art is incredibly important. I believe that if you're moved to make art, you have something to say.
The Waiting Game…
Anyway, back to the exhibition. I submitted my painting, and was absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted. A shortlist for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition means you have to deliver your work to the gallery in person, to be assessed in the gallery. All final decisions are made in the gallery by the artists who are curating the show. I hopped on a train from Devon up to London and made a flying visit. With just enough time to eat a chocolate ice cream and see David Hockney's Arrival of Spring exhibition. Hockney is one of my favourite living artists, so this was a real treat.
Then back to Devon to await the decision. The final selection was revealed on September 4th 2021. I spent all day checking my emails, checking my spam folder, reloading my emails... Eventually I gave up, despondent, and went for a walk. Then the email came, telling me my painting had been accepted.
Pure joy.
The Private View…
And so I had the chance to go back up to London for the RA's non-members' Varnishing Day. This is fundamentally a private view for participating artists. But it's also a bit of a weird tradition. It used to be the day when Royal Academy students would put the final touches to their work before hanging. Now, there's a procession from the Piccadilly gate of the RA down to St. James's Church, Piccadilly, complete with steel band. Then there's a service for living artists, which, by the way, featured the most sublime professional choir. Then everyone rushes back to the gallery to see the exhibition.
The Party…
The artists spread out in the galleries, each looking for their own work first. Then they congregate in the central hall, where they are greeted by a beautiful spread of food and a constant supply of champagne. There's animated conversation as people catch up with old friends and make new ones.
The Exhibition…
I spent several hours walking round the gallery, looking at the 1400 pieces on display, feeling proud and tired. (I have a pretty bad track record at booking hotels and had very little sleep the night before Varnishing Day.)
After I'd finished at the RA Summer Exhibition, I walked over to the Tate Britain to see an exhibition by another of the world's great living artists, Paula Rego.
A truly fulfilling day of art, inspiration and fellowship.
If you have the opportunity to see the RA Summer Exhibition, it's on until January 2022. Due to lockdown restrictions, it's not being held in the summer at all this year. But it's a fantastic celebration of living artists. It's vibrant, fun and a fantastic thing to be a part of.
The Happy Ending…
My painting Horae, Goddess of Summer, sold. A treasured red dot appearing underneath her several days before the exhibition opened. If you would like to look at more of my work, please visit my shop. Or keep reading my blog for more inspiration about contemporary living artists.