It's that time of time of year again, so we've been doing our limited art seeing thing. Specifically, we went to the BP portrait competition at the National Portrait Gallery, followed by the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, both of which I tend to enjoy. David came along, and was wonderfully quiet throughout (sleeping through most of the RA!).
The portait competition was happily a bit more varied than last year. Not so much in the way of photo-realism, so there was a bit more opportunity for personality to be expressed. There were a few I didn't care for, but on the whole I really rather enjoyed it.
After brunch at the NPG's rather nice restaurant, we decided we'd attack the Summer Exhibition. We wondered if they'd cope with a push-chair, but it turned out to be fine. Critics have panned it, but I enjoy it pretty much for the same reason as they hate it. I love looking through the higgledy-piggledy of the entries from the hoi polloi in the Weston rooms, and I enjoy looking on in horror at the overpriced rubbish from the more famous artists (special prize here for Tracy Emin's awful, awful tat). Generally, though, I enjoy trying to find those few items I think utterly lovely.
The prices have rather increased this year - what that's doing with a recession, I don't know. So instead of looking at my favourite things that are almost on the edge of affordable (ha!), I thought I'd just ignore price and list my favourites:
Posted 2010-07-19.