Kirsty Wark and Morgan Quaintance visit the Royal Academy as it prepares for its annual artistic extravaganza. They meet the cast of people who have come together to make the show unique - Michael Craig-Martin, the godfather of Brit Art, in his role as chief curator, singer/songwriter Jessie Ware as she leads the charge at the opening night party, and a handful of talented aspiring artists from across the nation who submitted their paintings in hope of a place in this hallowed institution.
Morgan Quaintance and Kirsty Wark access all areas at the Royal Academy as the institution prepares for its annual artistic extravaganza. This year's show is curated by the sculptor Richard Wilson and will be marked by what he calls the 'wow factor'. ABC bring their glamorous pop genius to the RA and we also hear the stories of the aspiring artists who submitted their paintings in the hope of getting on the walls of this hallowed institution.
What makes the Summer Exhibition an enduring fascination? The combination of ordinary Brits showing alongside the art world's most celebrated scions, the chance for emerging and established names to make a big splash and the opportunity to see and be seen at one of the social calendar's most spectacular shindigs. Presented by Kirsty Wark and Brenda Emmanus, the programme comes from the very glamorous private view and goes behind the scenes of the Academy in the run up to the opening - visiting artists studios, amateur artists and delving into the fascinating process of curating and hanging the world's largest open submission exhibition.
This year the Royal Academy celebrates its 250th Summer Exhibition and artist Grayson Perry takes the helm to coordinate the world's longest running and largest open-submission show. Presented by Kirsty Wark and Jayson Mansaray the programme comes from the very glamorous private view and goes behind the scenes of the Academy as it prepares for its annual artistic extravaganza. Grayson in his role as chief coordinator celebrates the democracy of the exhibition with the theme of Art Made Now and creates a room of fun dedicated to pieces he finds amusing.
The Royal Academy summer exhibition is the world’s longest running and largest open-submission show. What does that mean? That any artist can enter and stand a chance of hanging alongside the great and the good within these hallowed halls. Kirsty Wark and Brenda Emmanus follow every step of the way with three hopeful amateur artists, and delve into the fascinating process of curating and hanging the most complicated exhibition in the British art calendar. They visit celebrity artists creating work for this year’s show, including Bob & Roberta Smith, Polly Morgan and Jeremy Deller, and get to know this year's co-ordinator Jock McFadyen. The programme finishes by taking viewers behind the scenes of the glamorous opening night party where some famous faces hope to snap up an art bargain and hear chart-topping singer-songwriter James Bay perform live.
Kirsty Wark and Brenda Emmanus present this year's Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, a show with challenges like no other in its 252-year history. Postponed into the winter months and forced to contend with the realities of social distancing, this is certainly an exhibition to remember. Filmed both before and throughout lockdown, this documentary features artists such as this year's co-ordinators Jane and Louise Wilson, Brian Eno, Cornelia Parker and rising star Joy Labinjo. Along the way, the film charts the journeys of three members of the public who have submitted art for consideration in this year’s show - which ones will see their work share space on the walls with the likes of Grayson Perry or Tracey Emin?
Kirsty Wark and Brenda Emmanus go behind the scenes at the RA's Summer Exhibition, which this year is the vision of celebrated British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare.
