London Summer Exhibitions

Ok after a stunning couple of weeks of visits and shows this week has continued in the same vein. I popped to London for a visit on Wednesday to see friends, after an offer of a VIP ticket to the Royal College of Art(Fine Art Party)we had been trying to arrange an earlier visit but that co-encided with Annecy but I think this arrangement worked better anyway, not least because I could go to the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy(The largest open exhibition in the UK I think I read somewhere that they had 30,000 entrants and these get whittled dowen to 1,300). This exhibtion I strongly advise to anybody going to London at this time, not least to work out why some images work and others don't, the prices are also something to educate yourself on........

Anyway got in for nothing as my friend is a friend of the RA, afterwards had a mooch round Picadilly Circus, taking photos and then down to Chinatown for a bit of dins. Bit of rain with no coat and then to the Royal College.
What on earth is that building all about in the park I like the outside and I can see the merits of using marine ply on the outside, but whooooa the inside no no no. you do not give a display building for art pieces wobbly floors, your walking along and all the pieces of ceramics and glass are rolling about looking very precarious.
This may be just my feelings but it's as if a permanent exhibition space which is well lit and spacious gives you room to form your own views about a piece, It looked more like a badly staffed Ikea sale, too much in there too many distractions, although I thought the jewelry, footwear and Bag design were very exciting all merging sculpture and experimentation with the traditional, on the other hand the actual Royal College building was much more condusive to art purusal.
Had a look at the animation, print making and painting. I was very impressed by a Czech print maker Tereza Buskova who made several prints and a film for her major show the images still haunting me, multi textural with visual referencing to folklore and history, I could see nuances with Svankmeyer's work.

Had a chat with Glyn Williams and watched, learnt and took part in the art of networking. The day after had a guided tour of the sculpture studios wonderful. Fantastic couple of days.
Got back to good old rainy Wales hit my mouth on the kichen worktop whilst trying to force too much in the kitchen bin and voila gave myself a lip piercing to be proud of.
The very same day as I get back all the terrorism stuff kicks off in London again, so think I came back at the right time!!!!