#royal academy

Tuesday Weld, 1965II

Dennis Hopper

Tuesday Weld, 1965

Dennis Hopper

Peter Paul Rubens - Royal Academy Exhibition

January 24th

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/rubens-and-his-legacy

Roses, pressed by Claude Monet 1893. Part of the ‘Painting the Modern Garden’ exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London

Hi! 

Masa here! 

It’s about time I share a bit more about what I’m working on. I’ve been closely involved in the digitisation project that we embarked on to make RA’s collections more accessible. In this past few months I’ve realised just how much work there is between photographing objects and making images available online. One of the biggest challenges we’re facing are legal issues relating to copyright law. When digitising works that are still in copyright we have to obtain permission from the copyright holder allowing us to use images on our website and social media platforms. A lot of my work consists of figuring out duration of copyright for particular work and making sure we have the right to display it digitally.

We digitised and key worded hundreds of works that can now be browsed in Explorer on new pages of RA’s website, which you can see here. We’re constantly adding new images so it’s definitely worth having a look and getting lost in what our collection has to offer!

Bye for now,

M

It’s not often you hear a gent in his 70’s loudly declare “Hipster!” in a tone of joy.

See what he was reacting to here: http://www.attendantsview.com/cartoons-and-blog/plus-ca-change-plus-cest-la-meme-chose

How to comment on art and upset your child with how on point you are… 

New cartoon at http://www.attendantsview.com/cartoons-and-blog/swiss-army-fork

New cartoon! The first of a few with “things I overheard while visiting Charles I: King and Collector.”

http://www.attendantsview.com/cartoons-and-blog/whos-a-good-boy

Tooi [Tuai], Drawing of Korokoro’s moko, 1818, paper, 30 x 50 cm, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries.

‘Oceania’ at the Royal Academy

★ ★ ★ ★

I have been truly spoilt this year with regards to my love of all things Pacific: from my trip to New Zealand, to the numerous exhibitions in London covering various areas of the subject. The Royal Academy’s ‘Oceania’ showcases the art from island nations across the world’s largest body of water. Over 200 pieces are on display, including canoes, traditional clothing, ceramics and sacred sculptures, and are presented thematically to reveal the stories and narratives that have shaped the history of these indigenous peoples.

Ahu ula (feather cloak) belonging to Liholoho, Kamehameha II., early 19th century, feathers, fibre, painted barkcloth (on reverse), 207 cm, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

The exhibition covers over 500 years of Pacific culture, right up to the modern era. My highlight, in fact, came from New Zealand contemporary artist Lisa Reihana. Her work in Pursuit of Venus [infected] is a reappropriation of the 19th-century panoramic woodblock piece Les sauvages de la mer Pacifique. The latter was a romanticised vision of colonial discovery in the Pacific, whereas Reihana takes a more realistic approach to the dramatic encounters between native islanders and the European settlers. Her piece is a slow-spanning panoramic film, featuring animation and filmed reenactments. Visitors can sit in the darkened cinematic gallery and observe mini-storylines, such as a colonial artist being attacked by native insects whilst trying to paint, and a tense confrontation between tribal warriors and gun-wielding soldiers. It’s addictive viewing, though it lasts a full hour, so make sure you have enough time to experience it thoroughly!

‘Oceania’ is on at the Royal Academy until 10th December. All images are courtesy of the Royal Academy.

Courage, Anxiety and Despair: Watching The Battle (c. 1850) - James Sant CVO RA (1820 - 1916)

Contemplation - James Sant CVO RA (1820 - 1916)

Reconciliation of The Montagues and Capulets Over the Dead Bodies of Romeo and Juliet & Nude Study (1855) - Lord Frederic Leighton RA