RWA Press Releases
RWA Press Releases
For further press release information, latest news, or if you require press images please contact:
Fiona Swadling Davies, Marketing Officer at the RWA.
e-mail: info@rwa.org.uk
Tel: 0117 973 5129
President’s Eye
5th August - 9th September 2007
President’s Eye at the Royal West of England Academy sees President Derek Balmer take the reins of four of the five main galleries at the RWA in Bristol. The art on show includes a retrospective of Balmer’s past and present work from the 1950’s forward, it will reveal the influence he has had on acquisitions to the RWA’s Permanent Collection with a showcase of recent additions from the past ten years.
Balmer’s current work sees ancient places, crypts and vaulted arches, layered in dust and time painted in Mediterranean colours of dusky pinks, burnt oranges, golden yellows and hot cerise. Like fading religious frescos his abstract pictures are composed of different areas of form, pattern and texture. Balmer has an eye for detail but the success of his paintings is largely due to those parts of the landscape that have been omitted, and each painting is made from a memory that captures a sense of place and time.
Alongside his career as a painter, Derek Balmer has been closely involved with the RWA, serving as Artist Chairman from 1996 and as President since 2001. Both roles have included an element of managing the RWA Collection, carefully selecting works and determining the direction of this nationally important archive – many recent acquisitions from this growing collection are included in the exhibition.
In 2005 Derek negotiated that some works from the Arnolfini Collection Trust came to the RWA and this included work by Michael Sandle RA, Harold Cohen, and John Loker. These works helped to fill gaps of genre in the Collection. Other decisions initiated by Balmer have been that all new RWA Academicians must donate a diploma work, ensuring the collection represents a broad and comprehensive range of British art.
Selected works of the past ten years from the Collection will include commissioned works, gifts and purchases. Works will include David Inshaw RWA “Figures on Woodborough Bridge. Wiltshire”, “Fallen Angels” by Sonia Lawson RA RWA “Mambo” By Gillian Ayres OBE RA RWA and “River Avon Mud on River Avon Driftwood” by Richard Long RA RWA as well as an array of other talents.
President’s Eye will reveal Derek Balmer’s lifelong interest in colour and form, his tastes and influences. This exhibition will document the development of his work and that of the RWA Collection. Many of Derek Balmer’s works will be for sale. The exhibition opens from 5th August to the 9th September.
Editor’s Notes
Photo /Artist interview Opportunity Press View: Friday 3rd August by appointment telephone Fiona Swadling Davies 0117 9735129
For further information please contact Fiona Swadling Davies at the RWA
email : fiona.swadling@rwa.org.uk