COULD a school you know of benefit from a visit to the annual Royal Ulster Academy exhibition now open at the Ulster Museum?
Every year there is a very coherent education programme. This year ‘Meet the Artist’ events have been organised for key stage 3 and 4 or A-Level where participants get a tour of works that use the same medium or techniques they are studying, followed by a demonstration and informal discussion with an artist about their work.
For AS and A2 A-Level students ‘Sources and Inspiration’ talks will be delivered by a number of academics. It’s an opportunity for students to hear a professional artist talk about their ideas, view original studies of their work and ask questions.
School groups of any age led by their own teachers are invited to come and enjoy the exhibitions on Wednesdays and Fridays but are asked to let the Academy know beforehand. If you are interested in any of the programmes email schools@royalulsteracademy.org to register or ask for more information.
Saturdays are an opportunity for a guided tour for everyone, including an Irish language tour with Dan Dowling, President of the RUA, in November and at lunchtime on Fridays there are short informal artist talks in the gallery itself, no registration required.
The exhibition itself has moved to different galleries which are now accessed via the stairs or lift at the end of the corridor on the right as you enter the building. This offers more space for the art and for the first time there are two dedicated video art viewing spaces. These can be easily missed, looking like large black voids, but worth walking into. There are over 330 pieces on view from members of the RUA as well as selections from an open submission process, which should be demystified somewhat when a new documentary comes out about it soon.
Colin Davidson exhibits one of his 3D printed and oil pieces and it’s really nice to see Helen Merrigan Colfer from Wexford working on a larger scale, taking up more space with her delicate porcelain. Ayelet Lawlor shines with ‘Our Lady of the Sun’ bringing some welcome brightness to the exhibition.
Betty Brown, PPRUA, has developed an innovative way of having a retrospective by staging one in a doll’s house. Each room shows a miniature version of the different phases of her art. Then, for fun, in a second piece she painted it all in detail on acrylic on another canvas.
Conway Mill artist Anna Donovan’s work ‘Keeping It in the Family’ – a kind of ceramic totem pole – was selected and Mill artists are well represented with Karen Daye-Hutchinson, a recent RUA associate, also showing. She is just back from a month-long art residency in Venice which culminated in an exhibition and you can see her prints going from strength to strength. I like to see artists such as Jennifer Trouton, more known for her paintings, simply show some of her drawings, which won one of the prizes as a result. Andrew Jones asks us to think about what Turner would do if he had an iPhone. Maybe just take a photo of a misty lough view perhaps?
Colin Davidson exhibits one of his 3D printed and oil pieces and it’s really nice to see Helen Merrigan Colfer from Wexford working on a larger scale, taking up more space with her delicate porcelain. Ayelet Lawlor shines with ‘Our Lady of the Sun’ bringing some welcome brightness to the exhibition.
The Royal Ulster Academy annual exhibition is usually is the most attended exhibition in the region, it offers an eclectic view of current art practice and an opportunity to contemplate the breadth of skill and creativity that we have locally. Every year it memorialises a number of members. This year it’s Chris Dearden, David Evans and Peter Ford, an honorary member who used to joke his membership happened after serving Guinness and oysters at a particularly successful RUA opening. At the opening I attended it was tea and rather fine shortbread, but appreciated all the same.
Finally, as creativity always refreshes itself, it’s good to congratulate Stephen Shaw and Ciaran Gallagher as this year’s new associate members.
Royal Ulster Academy of Arts/Practising Visual Artists in Northern Ireland, the Royal Ulster Academy 141st Annual Exhibition, runs until January 3. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm.
