Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2024

18 June – 18 August 2024

Main Galleries | Burlington House, Piccadilly, London. W1.

 

 

This year Jane Morgan returns to the Royal Academy’s Main Galleries with another of her painted bronze sculptures.

The highly experienced artist and sculptor, Ann Christopher RA is co-ordinating this year’s show with a stellar panel of six selectors including Cornelia Parker, Anne Desmet, Hurvin Anderson, Hughie O’Donoghue and Veronica Ryan. The group is chaired by Rebecca Salter PRA. It is the first time Christopher has curated solely since her election as an RA in 1980.
The theme this year explores the concept of space, in it’s widest capacity.
Two Metres Apart, is a work emblematic of the physical limitations of space.
It questions the unprecedented restrictions imposed upon citizens as a result of the global pandemic. From 16th March 2020, under an unprecedented dictate from the UK Government, all unnecessary social contact ceased. The term social distancing was born.  Led by the science, ‘Two Metres Apart’, became the decreed safe distance that the populace adopted to avoid person to person transfer of the virus.
For Jane Morgan the ubiquitous pale blue face coverings became highly emblematic and synonymous with this as a challenging period in our social history.
Recreated here with longevity in bronze, the work is indexical of fragility. It  permits the viewer a moment of reflection and contemplation as this was for much of the population a highly disruptive period.
This is a complex work, requiring considerable preparation and development of both practice and process to achieve the gossamer thin facsimile representation in metal.

This year’s show hosts over 1,200  works of art by invited artists and public submissions from over 16,500 entries.

 

Sales from the Summer Exhibition support the exhibiting artists and the RA’s charitable work, including training the next generation of artists in the Royal Academy Schools.

Become a Friend, Bar & Garden Member or House Member to enjoy exclusive previews of the exhibition before it opens to the public and gain access to spaces in the Keeper’s House, the perfect spot for eating, drinking and socialising in Mayfair.

The House Member preview morning takes place Saturday 15 June 10am–12pm.
Friends previews take place Saturday 15 June 12pm–9pm, Sunday 16 June 10am–8pm and Monday 17 June 10am–6pm.

For full details and advance tickets.

 

image of sculpture - face mask
Jane Morgan- Two Metres Apart. H.11 x W.25 x D.14. cms Bronze painted in oils. Matt lacquer.