A date with Grayson

Squirrel at Ladywell Station

One of the many rooms at Summer Exhibition

Royal Academy - Summer Exhibition

Royal Academy - Summer Exhibition

Anne the model make of Google's new campus

Royal Academy - Summer Exhibition

Another new friend? 

With Grayson, the curator of this years exhibition

Lunch in the new restaurant

In the room of fun with Grayson

Making another friend

250 years in the making we are here at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition. Every year 1000’s of artists from around the UK submit new works, a small proportion of the works are finally selected. This years exhibition is curated by Grayson Perry an artist that we both admire. 

Tickets in hand, in we go. Wow, a 5m high textile sculpture, a dog riding a unicycle and inside outside. Which way do we look first? Time to split up and explore the craziness that is the summer exhibition. Next room, unicorns in a forest made of wire (my fav), donkeys, Donald Trump doing rude things, typography, political statements, beauty, symmetry. Everything is a visual feast for the eyes and senses. 

Now I am in the architecture room, what are those French people talking about? Let's listen in, ah, its the designer of this model. Time to join the conversation :). So the model is of Google's new headquarters in California, designed by a UK firm and built by Ann, my new friend. We have a conversation about the intersection of digital and physical space in the workplace and then I get her to sign my catalogue. Fun all round! Especially for her proud family as the son photographs Mum autographing catalogues. 

Onwards to more art with attitude as I go I mark my favourites in the catalogue. All will be researched and re-explored in full post-holiday with the online explorer.

Now let's go into The Great Spectacle an exhibition curated to celebrate 250 years of the summer exhibition. The very first painting titled, A private view at the Academy has all the establishment dressed in their fancy clothes viewing the paintings in 1881, a stark contrast to the crowds today, in trainers and jeans.

The RA has been undergoing a major renovation for the last few years and it finally opened last month. So now onto to explore where the students worked, the permanent collection, the new cafe, the new restaurant and of course we exit through the gift shop. I love the little touches like the paint palette from Millais.

Today it's a lot quieter than we would have expected for a beautiful sunny Sunday We found out from Jeff and Mary that England has played football (soccer) today in the world cup and scored a 6-1 victory over Panama. Well, that explains the lack of crowds (except for tourists).

Finished off the day perfectly at home with a champagne and Antiques Roadshow. Now its time to pack.