Exhibitions 2
221st Summer Exhibition (Royal Academy, till 20 August)
Trial by jury
Giles Auty
While seldom in serious doubt that the Royal Academy remains a worthy and necessary institution, I can't help wishing sometimes that their Summer Exhibitions could prove a bit more uplifting. Each year there is a familiar background of at least moderately pleasing work, admittedly, but where are the pinnacles? The major prob- lem is that few of the paintings, by academicians especially, look as though they cost their authors much, if anything, in the way of tears or struggle. Indeed, how many academicians even make a point of reserving their best works for the Summer Exhibition any longer? The answer, I am afraid, is all too few; they no longer think it important enough. Academicians have the right to hang up to six works automatically and such is the fury of public spending these days at the annual spectacular that some must be tempted to empty their studios of the less-than-wonderful. I also suspect that a fair sprinkling could paint their next academy picture or model their next figure, if not blindfolded, then on automatic pilot at least. After all, they have been through more or less identical exercises many times already. Where there should be energy and freshness there is too much staleness and complacency — often from those who should know better.
Last week I had the good fortune to spend a few days in Brittany at Le Pouldu, trying, among other things, to locate the sites of some of Gauguin's paintings of the area. While gazing across familiar-seeming fields I could not helping thinking how even one of his minor masterpieces — 'Les Champs du Pouldu', say — might look in the context of the present Royal Academy exhibition. My feeling is that it would look as conspicuous and dangerous as a pike in a goldfish pond. Care, passion and energy are three of the factors that give 'teeth' to a painting; I saw this particular Gauguin in Paris in January and am delighted to report it displayed a most impressive mouthful.
Each year a number of my professional colleagues claim to be able to detect whether the standard of the particular year's summer show is up or down from some imagined norm. This is a difficult feat when more than 1,200 works are likely to be involved. What could be said, however, is that the hanging and general arrange- ment are well ordered this time and that giving the Large South Room over to works on paper is a sensible novelty.
This year over £40,000 has been offered 'Votive Offerings', by Mick Rooney, short-listed for this year's Korn/Ferry awards. in prizes. Korn/Ferry, the famous firm of headhunters, have trebled the value of their awards to £15,000, while giving a savage twist to the conditions imposed. A selected panel has already chosen five widely differing works by Craigie Aitch- ison, Carel Weight, Michael Sandle, Bert Irvin and Mick Rooney from the summer show for later submission to two larger juries. The three first-named are academi- cians while the last two are `outsiders'. The two sets of final arbiters will be the academicians collectively and those mem- bers of the public who visit the exhibition before the end of June and care to vote. All short-listed artists receive £1,000 in- itially plus the chance of one or other or even both of two further £5,000 prizes, if the findings of the two juries happen to coincide.
I applaud all attempts to involve mem- bers of the public more closely in the affairs of art and look forward to an interesting outcome. If anyone is making a book on the final result, perhaps they would let me know. If I were to make a successful double forecast — and thus a sizable killing — the artists from the summer show I would most like to give my own money to would include Edmund Fairfax-Lucy, Peter Greenham, Yvonne Hawker, David Tindle and John Vincent.
Perhaps you should buy something that reflects your personal taste with your Derby winnings?
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