Here as promised are details of the artworks featured in my last post. Because I drifted around snapping only the pieces that immediately appealed to me without taking much notice at the time of pricing, this year’s selection has turned out to be rather over the top from a financial point of view. Apart from a couple. But there is art available at the Royal Academy that wouldn’t break the bank…so if you get the chance to see for yourself, then I’d recommend getting a ticket.
“ALL THE FISH IN THE SEA” by David Mach, RA £56,000
“MIGRATION” by Cathy de Monchaux £35,000
“GOLDENGROVE” by Christopher le Brun £168,000
“SATCHEL” and “LIBERTY BODICE” by Valerie Bradbury £500 each
“VENICE TRIPTYCH” by Ken Howard RA £20,000
“SPRING GARDEN, UNDER FROST” by Frederick Cuming RA £25,000
“SNOW IN HYDE PARK” By Ken Howard RA £38,000
“AVOCADO COCONUT EGG (ACE) by El Anatsui Hon RA Price on application!
“KOZANJI: WINTER FIRE” by Ian MacKenzie Smith £4,000
Now, since I went to the exhibition and made my selection and with the Olympics about to burst forth, I settled down the other night and watched an interesting documentary about Tom Daley, Britain’s high-diving medal hope. When I next looked at that last painting, above, all I can see now are a pair of blue Speedo’s and some yellow legs behind a wafting scarlet scarf. Funny how perceptions can be changed, isn’t it?
Oh, and if I were to make a choice and money was no object, then from the above selection I’d probably go for Frederick Cuming’s ‘Spring Garden, Under Frost.’ (I like the colours which remind me slightly of a Patrick Procktor painting a friend once owned). I discounted the bottle top wall-hanging on account of its size and also because I imagine it would need dusting. Ever practical when it comes to housework avoidance, you see!
The Summer Exhibition runs until 21 August. Galleries open at 10.00am until 6.00pm, late evenings till 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
charactersfromthekitchen 
And of course the one I like best and would quite like to have hanging in the foyer of my country house has no attached price – just the ominous ‘price on application’ tag – which is never a good thing when it comes to the pockets of most of us! Sigh – Champagne tastes on a beer budget!!
I think we’ve all fallen into that trap, Pauline! I should have made my selections in a different way and chosen some works just for a low price tag to see if they’d get any takers. I missed a trick there this year…don’t know what I was thinking!
Well my favourite is just a mere £35,000. I wonder if I could request Cathy de Monchaux to do a matching one to hang alongside!
Those prices are amazing. I wonder how much time the artists spent in creating them.
I know – and I wonder if that’s taken into consideration when price tags are applied…
It would be interesting to know.
Some ridiculous prices. By coincidence, I have featured both tom Daley and Patrick Procktor in posts.
That is weirdly coincidental. I don’t remember the Procktor one.
https://derrickjknight.com/2015/12/12/a-shropshire-lad/
Oh yes, I remember now! Thanks Derrick.
Whoa, we have got expensive taste! That painting I liked had the highest price tag af all! £168,000???? Madness 😱😱😱
You’ll just have to wait for your lottery numbers to come up Kay 😆
I wouldn’t spend it on art though, I’m afraid. I would go travelling around the world instead!
Yes, good plan. Let’s dream😉
Yes, well. Good taste costs I suppose. Still we can look.
Well said. Aren’t we lucky that so many of our galleries are free to view?
Oh my word! I’d be interested to know what actually sold. My checkbook is quivering, Jenny.
Yes, so would I, Jill. I wonder if and how I could find out….😉
Knowing you, Jenny, you will! 🙂
I love “gallery hopping” with you, Jenny. Like Jill, I have a quivering checkbook. “All The Fish In The Sea” is so wonderful, and I was also drawn to “Snow In Hyde Park” and both “Satchel” and “Liberty Bodice.”
I was rather taken with that little satchel, Marylin – and it’s got an almost affordable price tag. I wonder what its story is…
My checkbook wouldn’t cover the least of these, but they are wonderful finds nonetheless!
Thank you! Just a random selection really. I wish I’d paid more heed to the price list before I started snapping!
They’re amazing!
Good grief *shakes head*. But good luck to the creators if they can sell at the prices asked.
Well, exactly. I’m not sure who sets the prices in the first place. Maybe I could do some research…might be interesting.
I quite like ‘all the fish in the sea’ but that’s a shocking price. Who on earth buys these things?
I’m not sure, Jude. People with a lot of money, I guess! Or companies – I bet there’s a tax advantage to patronising the arts😀
Mmm… so if the OH buys it then perhaps he can write off the expense on his self assessment form? A form of charity donation? Now that would be nice.
He could try…😆
Right. Next problem, where do I lay my hands on £56k?
Well, have you ever thought of selling any of your photos? They’d look brilliant framed up. And that “Signs of St Ives” would make a fab poster. Or offer it to the tourist board…
Sadly although my photos may look OK on a screen, in real life they are not that great. Alright on my wall. And actually maybe I’ll get the collage printed for me!
I am surprised as I was last year at which cost the most, Jenny!
I was very pleased that one of my two favorites was also one you loved, too. Great minds and all! The Spring Morn under Frost is gorgeous.
Now, if I weren’t taught to respect and never copy nor plagiarize, I would attempt to create it! Thanks for revealing the prices! Have a great rest of the weekend and into August, enjoy! xo
Haha, well I suppose you could use the idea to inspire you to something similar. That’s not plagiarism, is it? 😆😉😆😉
Wow, shows that the world is made up of many people, including some who can afford very expensive art work! It’s a treat for the rest of us to be able to frequent galleries … or view surreptitiously through your blog! My fave is “Snow in Hyde Park”. It brings back lots of memories, aside from being lovely.
Goodness, they are ambitious in their pricing as they are in their creations. Perhaps the two are not unrelated!
I think you have got the situation in a nutshell, Lisa!
The more I look at these, the more I like the bottom one. The watercolor. I think the pricing is higher than in the US, but I don’t know if these artists are emerging or established. The Royal Academy has a very good reputation and perhaps they take a commission. In New York, it’s sometimes 60 percent. Could be here as well, hence the pricing. Thanks for showing us these. From what you chose to show us, the variety is good, and the pieces do not vary in quality. I always dislike it when one piece is poor among quality pieces. But then, it is the Royal Academy. What should I expect? Of course their curators know what they are doing!!!
Yes they do, and each room was curated by a different Royal Academician, if I remember rightly. I’ve been in previous years where some of the rooms have been far too busy for my liking, giving a bit of a jumbled feeling. This year the whole exhibition had a feeling of space. I’d love to go round this exhibition with you, to see what you’d pick out!
Nice to dream… I always like the expensive ones, too. 🙂
That’s probably a sign of good taste…it doesn’t come cheap!