Royal Academicians in China
23 December 2005—20 January 2006
In the Sackler Wing of Galleries
A major exhibition of works by leading Royal Academicians John Bellany, Paul Huxley, Allen Jones, David Mach, Ian McKeever and Chris Orr, inspired by their recent travels through China, will go on show in the Royal Academy’s Sackler Wing of Galleries from 23 December 2005 to 20 January 2006. The exhibition, Royal Academicians in China: 2003-2005, has been organised by the Royal Academy of Arts in proud association with The Red Mansion Foundation, and was shown at the China National Museum of Fine Arts in Beijing and at the Art Museum in Shanghai earlier this year.
Highlights of the exhibition include Paul Huxley’s bold formalised Chinese characters, Ian McKeever’s temple paintings, John Bellany’s scenes of the Shanghai Bund, Allen Jones’s series of court dancers, Chris Orr’s satirical scenes of Beijing and Shanghai and David Mach’s controversial image of Mao, too sensitive to be shown in China.
The artists were invited to travel to China by The Red Mansion Foundation as part of the ongoing ‘’Building Bridges’’ programme. The Red Mansion Foundation, founded in 1999, is a not-for-profit organisation, which promotes cultural exchange between China and the UK through contemporary art. Each artist met with local artists and gave a lecture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Upon their return to Great Britain each artist created a body of work inspired by their stay in China. The Royal Academicians were chosen for their ability to communicate and for their different approach to making art, hence each artist has assimilated their experience in a different way.
This exhibition coincides with the Royal Academy’s landmark exhibition, China: The Three Emperors, 1662 – 1795, sponsored by Goldman Sachs, which presents imperial treasures of the Qing dynasty. Drawn largely from the remarkable collections of the Palace Museum, Beijing, it focuses on the artistic and cultural riches of the three most powerful emperors of China’s last dynasty.
The Red Mansion Foundation offers a programme of exhibitions, talks, seminars, an exchange programme for established artists, and The Red Mansion Art Prize. The Prize is open to postgraduate students from six of London’s foremost art colleges: Central Saint Martins College of Art, Chelsea College of Art, Goldsmiths, Royal Academy Schools, The Royal College of Art, and The Slade School of Fine Art. The winning students travel to China where they live and work alongside local artists; the resulting work is displayed in an annual exhibition in London.
ORGANISATION
This exhibition has been organised by the Royal Academy of Arts in proud association with The Red Mansion Foundation, and is curated by Nicolette Kwok with assistance from Edith Devaney, Head of Membership and Summer Exhibition, at the Royal Academy of Arts
DATES
Open to public: Friday 23 December 2005 – Friday 20 January 2006
10am – 6pm daily (last admission 5.30pm)
Late night openings: Fridays and Saturdays until 10pm (last admission 9.30pm).
ADMISSION
The cost of entry to the Royal Academicians in China: 2003- 2005 exhibition is included in the price of a ticket to China: The Three Emperors, 1662- 1795. Otherwise, entry is £4. Concessions are available.
TICKETS
Tickets are available daily at the RA, for more information please call 020 7300 8000.
IMAGES
Publicity images can be obtained from Picselect, the Press Association’s image service for press use. Please register at www.papicselect.com and once registered, await a password, then go to the Royal Academy of Arts folder in the Arts section of Picselect.
WEBSITES
For more information about this exhibition, please visit www.royalacademy.org.uk. To find out more about this and other activities of The Red Mansion Foundation, go to www.redmansion.co.uk. A dedicated website www.threeemperors.org.uk has been created to accompany China: The Three Emperors, 1662–1795.
PRESS ENQUIRIES
Royal Academicians in China, 2003-2005 Erica Bolton, Bolton & Quinn Tel: 020 7221 5000
Royal Academy of Arts: Jennifer Francis Tel: 020 7300 5615
Red Mansion Foundation: Nicolette Kwok Tel: 020 7323 3700
01/12/05
