A superb day out to London Galleries for L6^th Form Art pupils...

Beyond the Streets London Art Exhibition at the Saatchi gallery in Chelsea is an outstanding exhibition and one that is not to be missed. The curator pieced together an incredible collection of fashion, music and most of all art. It was a visually enriching experience, and personally, a very nostalgic one too. It documented both the American and European rise of the art form which coincided with the rise in music of Punk, Hip Hop and The New Romantics. There was so much on offer with over 100 artists and 3 floors of the Saatchi building. There were massive installations such as the Record Store to Acid House Paraphernalia Shop. There were original hand written Beastie Boys lyrics, to the vast array of Adidas pumps. If you didn’t live through the period, you couldn’t help but get a wonderful sense of the era. The general public attended in all shapes and sizes, and noticeably, there were lots of older street artists and skaters there, obviously taking a fond trip down memory lane. They loved it. King’s Bruton pupils were lucky enough to see this first hand and take in all the authenticity of the era. It provided the L6^th Form pupils with an exciting starting point for their Personal Investigation, and they came away inspired by what they had seen.

Our next stop was the impressive British Museum to look at the Mesopotamian and Classical sculpture on display, which ranged from the Gates of Babylon (Ishtar Gate) to the Elgin Marbles. Pupils had a chance to view the inspiring architecture of Sir Norman Foster or take in the Rosetta Stone. There is so much to see and record, and again it proved to be a relevant and inspirational starting point for them.

Having negotiated the London Underground, we headed up North to King’s Cross to visit David Hockney’s seminal and submersive exhibition at the Lightroom. Vocally documenting his work, Hockney took us through his different genres and professional career with a well-produced collaboration, it was a visually engaging and thought provoking experience. The space was massive, and all four walls displayed moving images of his work, ranging from his time in LA to the Yorkshire landscapes. His soporific anecdotal storytelling only added to the experience as it complimented the visuals seamlessly.

On our way back to the tube, we stopped off outside Central Saint Martins to take in the legendary college that has been the inspiration for so many aspiring artists. It is easy to see why it has become a mecca for the next generation of artists. All in all, we had a superb day out and one that will be remembered for years to come.

Seamus Harkness - Head of Art

Flickr album: L6th Form Art Trip to London Galleries - 25th April 2023 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin