An action-packed day of London gallery visits for our artists and art

September 17th 2024

An action-packed day of London gallery visits for our artists and art historians...

45 artists and art historians headed up the A303 to London for an action-packed day of gallery visits. Our first stop was the heart of the city, Trafalgar Square to take in the sights and to visit the National Gallery. Pupils took in the atmosphere, looked at the old masters and more contemporary artists, and gained an insight into the working practices of acclaimed artists. The art historians considered the curation and themes to the exhibitions as well as the building itself, all with intention of using what they saw for their upcoming gallery project.

Our next stop was the recently renovated National Portrait Gallery where there was a breathtaking exhibition of the Herbert Smith Freehills Portraits Award. The work was diverse in scale and technique and provided a great source of inspiration for the pupils. The permanent collection was equally as important as they gained an interest in historical and religious pieces.

Moving through the city towards the river, our last gallery of the day was the Tate Britain. Some pupils managed to see the Women Artists in Britain exhibition which showed a fascinating side the difficulties of women making a living as artists from 1520-1920. It highlighted the prejudice placed on them by society and their struggles to have their voices heard and their work seen. Some of the work such as Elizabeth Forbes’ School Is Out was stunning as Marianne Stokes’ The Passing Train.

There was plenty on show as per usual from the Pre- Raphaelites to Turner, Henry Moore and John Singer Sargent. There was something for everyone, and hopefully, the pupils can use this experience to generate ideas for the last stage of their coursework.

Thankfully, the sun shone throughout the day and the journey was smooth. A great day out.

Seamus Harkness - Head of Art

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