I should have written about the
Annual Exhibition 2024
of the
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
(RP) last week - but my "mega spring clean" rather got in the way.
Suffice
to say this is one of the very best RP Annual Exhibitions I've ever seen - and
I'm very sure that those who have seen it have been broadcasting that fact far
and wide.
In fact, it's so good that I'd be very surprised if the The Portrait Award Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery (sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills) is any better.
How to see the exhibition
You can see the exhibition at the Mall Galleries. The last day is 18th May and the exhibition is open between 10am and 5pm.
View of the East Gallery from the Reception area - the semi circle is the commission area |
You can also see images of the portrait drawings and paintings hung in the exhibition on the Mall Galleries website
I've also now posted my albums of photos of the work in the show on my Making A Mark Facebook Page - and you can view them there. These are:
- North Gallery - which mainly comprises most of the artwork by those who are not members of the RP and who entered via the open entry.
- East Gallery - which includes some impressive work by non-members of repute as well as portraits by RP members.
- West Gallery - these are mainly be members.
- this is a very competitive open exhibition. This year the RP received 3,500 entries (which is more than BP Portrait used to get!)
- the kind of portraits selected for the exhibition - particularly those by non-members. Also note my comments below about how portraiture has changed over time and with this exhibition in particular
- the quality of the artwork - which is very high
- the media used i.e. there are drawings in a variety of media as well as paintings.
North Gallery |
North Gallery |
- You've got artists and their friends and families, plus sitters, plus people who get invited to these things - like me.
- It is however the very best day for talking to people and seeing people you've not seen in a very long time.
Worlds Apart
by Joshua Donkor (in the North Gallery - middle room) |
I'll add it in here later......
Review of the Exhibition
The RP contains a broad collection of stylistic and intellectual approaches that continue to make a significant contribution to the ongoing tradition of portraiture in Britain today. The Society looks to uphold the values and practices of its long and distinguished history, but at the same time, it seeks to explore and develop new artistic models and perspectives. (Catalogue)Given this exhibition is about portraiture, the artwork leans heavily towards realism although a lot does not try to look photographic.
The exhibition includes 241 portraits. Of these:
- members of the RP are showing around about 100 portraits - and I noted not all members are showing an artwork.
- There are 125 artworks selected from the open submission and
- the remaining artworks are by artists who have been invited by a member to exhibit.
Rather than review it the same day - or even the next - I often now review it a little later to see which artworks are still shouting for attention in my head.
This review will highlight some of these below
Commissions: the end of the "stuffed shirt"
This is an exhibition which aims to celebrate the best in contemporary portraiture.
Interestingly it's also an exhibition where I think very high quality entries from the open submission have influenced members over time.
As I commented last year, the main aspect of the exhibition which immediately struck me is how much it did NOT look like exhibitions in earlier years which have, on occasions, had rather too many stuffed shirts relating to formal commissions from organisations.
While understanding that:
- commissions are a portrait artist's "bread and butter" income
- this exhibition is very much a marketing exercise for members of the RP
- most commissions tend to come from significant organisations who like to record the people who've headed them up
Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists by Alastair Adams PPRS |
(left) Peter Green, Headmaster of Rugby School with (right) Alastair Adams PPRP who painted his commemorative portrait as he leaves to become Head of Gordonstoun |
Cressida Dick by Frances Bell |
RP Members Portraits - NOT on commission
Miriam Escofet with her portrait of (left) Joanna George and (right) “What will survive of us…” which won "The Smallwood Architects Prize". |
Portrait Drawings by non-members
I'm not sure why this is as some of us like drawings more than paintings - and at a time of economic constraint - one must always remember that painted portraits cost a lot more than those which are drawn.
Monochrome drawings in the North Gallery. |
The Last 15 Years: Past Annual Exhibitions (2009-2024)
- FINAL Call for Entries: Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2024
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2023
- Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2023: Prizewinners and selected artists
- Review: 130th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Virtual Tour and Award Winners: Royal Society of Portrait Painters 130th Annual Exhibition
- Review: Annual Exhibition 2020 of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Annual Exhibition 2020 of the Royal Society of Portrait PaintersPrizewinners at the 128th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition - Unstuffed!
- Prizewinners at the 127th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Prizewinners at the 126th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Review: Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters 2017
- Prizewinners at the 126th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Prizewinners at the 125th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Prizewinners at the 124th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Top 10 portrait painters - and a commissions checklist
- Review - 123rd Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters - Annual Exhibition 2013
- Royal Society of Portrait Painters - 2013 Prizewinners
- Jan Mikulka wins £20,000 SELF Portrait Prize
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters - 121st Annual Exhibition
- Analysis of open entry to RSPP Annual Exhibition
- Antony Williams wins Ondaatje Prize 2012
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2011 (Part 2)
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2011 (Part 1)
- Review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2010
- Exhibition review: Royal Society of Portrait Painters 2009
- James Lloyd wins The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture
- The ondaatje portraiture prize is re-awarded - to Tom Coates
- Portrait completed in 2 hours wins ondaatje prize
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