Summer is fully underway, which means one thing in the art world - the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition is here. This pillar of the British Art scene has been running without fail since 1769 and opened this year on the 13th of June. The Summer Exhibition is the perfect place to discover new talent, and we are thrilled and incredibly proud that artworks by three of our best-selling artists – Maxine Gregson, Nadia Attura, and Charlotte Farmer - have been selected for the show. Artworks by many of the artists that you can find in our Archive and Rare collection will also be on display in the prestigious show. Read on to know who to look out for when you head to the art occasion of the summer.
Nadia Attura is a contemporary artist, born and raised in the UK, who mixes landscape photography with tactile collage to create uncanny utopias from the imagination. Working with a complex and multifaceted process of layering, Nadia constructs tableaux that incorporate unexpected imagery to produce poetic portrayals of place and time. We love the uniquely inspired and idealised interpretation of an alternative paradise Nadia so carefully curates. Nadia’s enriched colour palette adds a touch of the absurd to her compositions.
Charlotte Farmer is a printer and illustrator living and working in Bath, UK. Charlotte finds beauty in everyday objects and has a particular affinity for bold colours and fine detail. From matchboxes and paprika tins to tropical birds and grizzly bears, Charlotte’s prints are all about storytelling and the characters within each narrative. We love how Charlotte has a particular affinity for depicting collections of objects, as they can bring together unusual combinations of items that make for perfect storytelling material.
Big Cat Power by Charlotte Farmer
Maxine is a contemporary artist that combines typography, photography, grid layering and nostalgic imagery to create intriguing artworks. Her hand-pulled screen prints are a unique union of vintage motifs and futuristic compositions. Maxine's artwork is often described as 'Nostalgic Futurism'. Blending retro and current imagery together, she creates surrealist artworks that are futuristic yet familiar. We love how Maxine's art is brimming with mystery and intrigue. Her vintage-inspired limited edition prints are a delightful mixture of old and new influences.
Road Trip - 2nd Edition by Maxine Gregson
Tracey Emin lives and works in East London and Margate, UK. She came to prominence as one of the “Young British Artists” and is known for her autobiographical and confessionary artwork. Tracey Emin’s art varies in medium, encompassing drawing, painting, sculptures, film, photography, neon text, and sewn appliqué. Emin’s raw emotions are evident throughout her artworks, and yet she somehow straddles both intimacy and universality in her art. Packing an emotional punch, Emin uses her platform to draw attention to the female voice and the power of femininity. Through her mastering of a wide variety of mediums, and her brave tackling of important public and personal issues, Emin has solidified her place in contemporary art history.
I am the last of my kind by Tracey Emin
Antony Gormley is a British artist known for his innovative and thought-provoking sculptures and artworks that explore the human body, space, and the relationship between individuals and their environment. Gormley uses his own body as a reference for his explorations of the human form, working with a range of materials and techniques, including iron, steel, concrete, and organic matter. He has received numerous awards, including the Turner Prize in 1994, and his work can be found in public spaces around the world.
Gillian Wearing is a British artist renowned for her works in photography, video, and sculpture, which explore themes of identity, self-expression, and the dynamics of society. Wearing’s art, for which she was awarded the Turner Prize in 1997, explores personal and collective narratives whilst challenging traditional notions of identity. The artist provokes viewers to question the complexities of human existence. Wearing’s works have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world.
Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere by Gillian Wearing
Yinka Shonibare is a British-Nigerian artist whose work explores colonialism, globalisation, identity, and cultural hybridity. Shonibare thought-provoking and visually striking artworks are created through a combination of African and European aesthetics. Shonibare has received numerous awards and honours, including being shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2004. His art has been exhibited internationally in galleries and museums, and his public sculptures can be found in various cities worldwide.
Balloon Man, 2016 by Yinka Shonibare
Cornelia Parker is a British artist celebrated for her conceptual and installation-based artworks that are often composed of found materials and objects, from fragments of buildings to furniture and personal possessions. Parker explores themes of transformation, history, and the nature of objects Parker encourages the viewer to reconsider our relationship with the world around us, and her thought-provoking artworks have earned her an OBE, as well as the election to be a Royal Academician.
Check out our RA Summer Exhibition Featured Artists Collection to see more from these brilliant artists.
