The exhibition of British Sculpture at the RA is not for the feint-hearted! Starting with a tall cenotaph like construction surrounded by photographs in a very calm and cool room which gives tantalising glimpses of two street piece bronzes – a Moore and a Hepworth.
The colossus Adam sculpted in rusted marble by Epstein looks as though inspired by the Easter Island statues; the scale is of a solid and stable man. The only other offering in the room by contrast is a wonderfully almost Deco like serpent by Moore. Even the large square white seat in the room seems to melt into the floor and not take away from the humour and significance of this pairing. Love it.
A surprising addition is ceramics which is explained as being a reference to their time when ceramics and sculpture where in exhibition together. It continues on through to the modern, with one of those scary gallery moments where you are not quite sure whether you are being invited in to walk through a piece or whether one of the (in fact lovely) but always dressed so fiercely in black (so reminding me of dementors creeping around) will tap you on the shoulder.
My favourite moment was looking from a distance at, the catch-ily titled, “The Restless Image – a discrepancy between the Felt Position and the Seen Position. Self Portrait.” by Rose Finn-Kelcey which until I got very close to it I had assumed was a photo of swans with wings up. It was in fact the artist herself having some fun. Unfortunately the photograph is subject to copyright so you’ll have to go to the RA to experience it all for yourself!
Oh and towards the end, if you don’t like the sight of raw meat and flies you may want to hurry on by one ghoulishly transfixing exhibit …
