RCA Graduate Show 2022
NOTE: Click here to read the 2023 review.
Read on / scroll down for the 2022 review.
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It doesn’t take long to see why RCA has been the No. 1 ranked art and design university in the world for six years running. Bright and airy studios, state-of-the-art facilities, and an exceptionally high quality of work on the walls. All of which must surely please Sir Jony Ive, their chancellor who knows a thing or two about attention to details.
Yesterday I previewed the Graduate Show at the Battersea campus, which spans 3 buildings, 7 floors, 14 disciplines and hundreds of students. It’s the best all-round student show I’ve seen so far, but it’s not without fault. First, let’s focus on the work.
Touring Ceramics and Glass I immediately had the same thoughts as when I picked out my wedding registry: “This looks really expensive. It’s so delicate… can you touch it? I’m definitely saving this stuff for a special occasion!” Many of the artists could easily be commissioned for Liberty’s Home Accessories showroom, but two unexpected items stood out: Yu Zhan’s (@yuzhan57) iron, silk and grass memory trinkets and Leora Honeyman’s (@leorahoneyman) 3D printed porcelain that looked like silly string. (Images 2-3)
Around the corner I was pleased to discover that the unimaginatively titled ‘The Painting Building’ was by far the least impressive thing about the next stage of the show. While finely honed technical skills were evident throughout, it was the diverse range of styles that truly got me excited about the potential for disruption in the contemporary art world. It’s where I spent the bulk of my time, trying to pick my top six:
Emma Prempeh (@reclus__e — Image 4) — oil on canvas, with projections (the wall clock and glasses & bottles on the table are all projected)
Emily Kraus (@emily_kraus_ — Images 5-6) — oil on canvas, applied via chrome poles courtesy of a self-made painting machine
Emily Gillbanks (@emily.gillbanks — Image 7) — oil on canvas
Kashin Patel (@kashin.art — Images 8-9) — mural installation; acrylic on fabric
Sabrina Shah (@sabrina.a.shah — Image 10) — acrylic and oil on canvas
Sarah-Athina Nahas (@sarahnahas - Images 11-12) — inks and acrylics on various stitched fabrics
There was such a variety that I easily could have picked an additional six, but I had one more building to get through. The one I was most looking forward to exploring. And not just for the art.
The Studio Building (another unimaginative title!) is the newly opened, £135 million, 15,500 sqm campus extension by Herzog & de Meuron. I wondered if the not-too-subtle similarity between the 450,000 exterior bricks and the brickwork in their Tate Modern extension subliminally encourages the students that the path from one building to the next is more straightforward than they otherwise might imagine. (Images 1 + 15)
Alas, natural ventilation made it better to look at than occupy on a hot, humid day. In addition to A/C, some of the students mentioned the lack of acoustical separation as an issue. Luckily, neither seemed to significantly hinder the output of the Sculpture or Contemporary Art Practice students whose studios I wandered round to wrap up my visit, taking particular note of the following:
Lea Rose Kara (@learosekara — Image 13) — virgin wool dyed with blueberries, pomegranate, rose petals, hibiscus petals and beetroot
Abigail Norris (@abigailnorris000 — Image 14) — reclaimed vintage fur coats
After 90 minutes I felt I’d barely cracked the surface but lucky for you, the show runs for 6 days so there’s plenty opportunity to explore everything that takes your fancy. It’s definitely a student show worth a go.
Runs from 25 to 30 June across two campuses:
Battersea Campus has photography, painting, print, jewellery and metal, ceramics and glass, sculpture, contemporary art practice, textiles, fashion, design products, animation and more from the Schools of Communication, Design, Arts and Humanities.
Kensington Campus is showcasing Architecture, Interior Design, City Design, Environmental Architecture, Service Design, Innovation Design Engineering and Global Innovation Design.
Follow @royalcollegeofart on Instagram and visit Royal College of Art Graduate Show 2022 for more info.
Bonus: Install images
I snapped a variety of installation shots in an effort to give an overall sense of the show, but I didn’t note down the individual artists. If your work appears in these photos and you’d like me to credit you, get in touch with your details and please indicate the number of the photo.
