Royal Academy of Ghosts

Security guards at the Royal Academy have had their night time patrols interrupted by … ghosts.

The Evening Standard has reported on numerous sightings of ghostly apparitions at the Royal Academy of Arts at Burlington House. Some of the guards even wear headphones to block out the sound of the “screaming nun” on Nun’s Walk.

Read more in Louis Jury’s report on the Evening Standard website.

Ghost sightings are not uncommon in Mayfair, with others having claimed that no 50 Berkeley Square is the most haunted house in London.

Byzantium Exhibition Opens This Week

We blogged before about the exhibition of Byzantium treasures coming to the Royal Academy of Arts. This is just a headsup to remind readers that the exhibition starts this week, on October 25th.

According to a report in the Telegraph, advanced sales indicate there’s likely to be “massive interest” in what is likely to be a blockbuster exhibition.

Byzantium Treasures Coming To Royal Academy

The Royal Academy of Arts has announced a new exhibition which will showcase important Byzantium treasures. Around 300 objects from the Byzantine empire, including icons, detached wall paintings, micro-mosaics, ivories, enamels plus gold and silver metalwork, some of which have never been on public display before.

The show will run from 25th October to 22 March 2009 in the RA’s Main Galleries. For more information, goto the Royal Academy website.

Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition Opens

The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition opened today. It is is the largest open contemporary art exhibition in the world, combining a range of new work by both established and unknown living artists.

Gallery 8 of the Summer Exhibition is curated by Tracy Emin, who described it as a ‘great honour’. Talking about her first time as a curator, she said, “My first idea was to make a show that really shocked me. But although the art I choose might be radical and off the wall, the presentation will be calm and classical. I’m not going to drive a red bus into the Royal Academy and hang everything inside it – I’m not out to be provocative on that kind of level.”

The exhibition, which is sponsored by Insight Investments, includes around 1,200 works and most of them are for sale. The annual Summer Exhibition – now in its 240th year – continues until August 17th.

Hirst Invited to Join Royal Academy

The Evening Standard is reporting that the Royal Academyof Arts wants to invite controversial Brit artist, Damien Hirst to become a member.

It’s not clear if Hirst would accept such an invitation as relations between the RA and the artist have been frosty since John Hoyland implied Hirst “farmed” his work out and it lacked humanity. Hirst responded by calling the RA “a big, fat, stuffy old pompous institution”

Find out more from the Evening Standard

TFL Bans Cranach’s Venus From Underground

A Royal Academy advert (shown above) featuring Lucas Cranach the Elder’s 16th century painting depicting the Roman goddess, Venus, has been ruled unsuitable for display on the London Underground by Transport For London.

The painting from 1532, regarded by many as a masterpiece, shows Venus – the goddess of Love – in a state of nudity. This prompted TFL to veto its use on the tube network, citing their guidelines which don’t allow adverts to “depict men, women or children in a sexual manner, or display nude or semi-nude figures in an overtly sexual context”.

The RA hit back with Head of Press and Marketing, Jennifer Francis telling Reuters, “We are disappointed and find it quite ridiculous in this day and age”.

The advert was intended to promote a new exhibition Cranach’s work, running at the RA from March 8th until June 8th. Find out out more by visiting the Royal Academy of Arts’ website.

What do you think of this decision? Would the use of this advert offend you? Use the comments form to share your views…

See also: Buy Lucas Cranach the Elder Posters

Sir Norman Rosenthal Retires from RA

The Royal Academy of Art’s Head of Exhibitions, Sir Normal Rosenthal, is to step down after 31 years in the post. The flamboyant figure will continue to be a freelance consultant to the RA but will also work for other institutions. He has been responsible for bringing a number of hit exhibitions to the Royal Academy in Piccadilly, including the exploration of the Aztecs, and the current controversial showing of Russian masterpieces.

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Russian Exhibition Gets Go Ahead

The exhibition of works from Russia which was due to take place at the Royal Academy of Art will now proceed following a rushed through change in UK law which has provided the safe guards required by the Russians.

From Russia: French and Russian Master Paintings is due to open at the Royal Academy of Art on 26 January.

Visit the RA’s Website

Russia Raises Hopes That Exhibition Can Go Ahead

News agency AFP has reported on comments by Russia’s culture minister stating his optimism that once new laws are passed by the British Government, the postponed exhibition of Russian masterpieces which was due to take place at the RA will be able to proceed.

The great works are currently in Dusseldorf and it is hoped they can be transported to London once the controvery has been settled.