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Royal Academy Plays Catch Up,
High Street Art Follows Suit!

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition has long been a British Institution. It’s one of those expected summer events that we Brits look forward to year in, year out, alongside events such as Wimbledon, a glass of Pimms and Glastonbury.

Yet, every summer comes the annual discussion regarding the RA’s ability to produce a worthwhile exhibition of contemporary work, along with the usual quibbles about hanging, elections of new and long overdue contemporary members such as Tracey Emin, and the place of the RA within an expanding artistic culture.

In the summer edition of the RA Magazine, several leading figures attack these subjects with ferocity, discussing both the summer exhibition and the state of the RA. Artist Michael Craig Martin, famous for inspiring new blood such as Damien Hirst and Fiona Rae during his teaching days at Goldsmith, comments “I can see the RA is trying to change, but it needs to change more.” The Summer exhibition is often utilised as an example of the Academy’s hackneyed ways. The hanging can be crowded, ill considered and can leave viewers feeling that they have to search amongst the masses for a real treasure. On the occasions when curators have been strict, the summer exhibition has been transformed from the social meeting it can sometimes seem like to what it should be – a genuine recognition of contemporary art and up and coming talent.

Being austere with admissions to the summer exhibition is not simply enough to retain the essence of what it should do. There has to be a balance to this unique display of art. After all, one of the exhibition’s major roles is to promote equality of artistic persons and practices, opposing a hierarchical system, by hanging a Peter Blake next to a ‘Peter-Brown-aspiring-artist-from-up-the-road’. Broadcaster Andrew Marr comments “The show’s variety means that it asks the questions that won’t go away. By pitting artists of huge technical skill but limited originality, against others who barely know their craft but have a different eye, it challenges us to think about value.” This practise is of great importance, as for most exhibitions it is not a consideration. As viewers, we are guided through exhibitions and almost told what to think and feel. With the summer exhibition you must have an opinion purely of your own, by trying to see past the refined and painstaking paintings of bunches of flowers in traditional unskilled style. Of course, searching out these admissions, of which there are always many, gives a viewer a good laugh if nothing else!

Although often considered an aged, stiff and unyielding institution, this was not the historical intention of the RA. “Early members - including Reynolds, Gainsborough and Turner - strove to make the Academy a venue for showing contemporary art and a forum for debate about the ‘Arts of Design’.” And indeed, progress has been made over the years. One of the eldest members of the RA, Freddie Gore, thinks that “Younger blood is healthy for the RA. New artists bring one closer to thinkers of the moment.”

Indeed, although the reputation of the RA is that of being resistant to change, some very significant changes seem to have taken place over the past few years. A much fresher approach seems apparent in the summer exhibition this year, which features works by the Chapman brothers among many other key contemporary artists. “…the RA… [is] shifting toward a more contemporary minded, internationally attuned membership.”

This sort of shift in attitude in the realm of high end art is often mimicked by thoughts and trends in affordable art. Most of us cannot afford a Damien Hirst or a David Hockney – or indeed any piece from the summer exhibition – but we may be able to afford a print of one. A conventional style does continue to convert buyers, but only when it has a modern twist. For example, the new works by infamous art forger John Myatt have enjoyed both huge critical acclaim and success since their release in the Spring. Myatt’s stunning pieces are “in the style of Monet rather than straight copies.” Other artists who fit into this category are Jack Vettriano, whose timeless Limited Editions continue to sell out. However, works in traditional style are often bypassed by the art buying public in favour of more contemporary pieces.

The eagerness of high street buyers to follow trends in the world of high end art and design are perhaps best understood by looking at some of our best selling work on CollectorsPrints. Our most popular Limited Edition prints right now are by contemporary artist Ian Francis. Francis’s illustrative and design led prints are being snapped up by art lovers, who find a resonance in his accurate take on modern life, his stylised compositions and his use of mixed media collage. Francis’s pieces have an apocalyptic feeling about them, which reflects his influence from the media and world events. Another good example of this trend is photographer David Creedon. Creedon’s poignant observations of abandoned places and objects reflect an underlying distress that we often feel in contemporary society; a throwaway society where neglect and carelessness is not unusual.

At CollectorsPrints, we always strive to bring you the most cutting edge and current works by artists who want to work in an exciting and progressive way; it is our job to bring you affordable pieces which reflect the mood of the art world as a whole. The world of international contemporary art will continue to evolve both on a high end level and a high street level, and these movements will always be reflected in the choice of the buying public.