I’m delighted this painting has been shortlisted for the RA Summer Exhibition 2024:
Prams in Hallways, 2023.
Acrylic & Charcoal on linen
25x36cm
I named it after the famous quote by literary critic Cyril Connolly from ‘Enemies of Promise’ published in 1938.
“There is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hallway”
The theme of this year’s RA Summer Exhibition is ‘Making Space’, and the selection committee is headed up by Ann Christopher, and includes Cornelia Parker (a hero of mine). Like many of my paintings it tries to express something of the complexity and intensity of the physical, emotional and mental load of family life. The world has changed immeasurably since Cyril Connolly was writing (about male creativity) in 1938, but the challenge of making ‘good art’ (or good anything!) without mental and physical space certainly persists. Recently my ‘hallways’ have felt very full of ‘prams’ as my studio time has been severely curtailed by unexpected additional childcare responsibilities. That’s why it means so much that this painting has been ‘seen’ by the judges.
Keep your fingers crossed that it makes it to the final selection!
