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From: Ned Thisom Category: Art Date: 20 February 2007 Time: 06:44 AM Review: Champayne, Nice. Sculptured food, Dubious. Art, more Dubious. Speech, Moronic. Graham Crowley (ex head Royal College painting) invited artists to submit work to be judged for entry into this show, he was also asked to select his two co-judges, one of whom was David Rayson (current head Royal college painting), therefore this show is like a highlights of the last few years of Royal College graduates. The show featured painting, some drawing, at least three sculptures and a video (which sadly was not working on the night). Things I remember, a dripped Gloss stripes on Aluminium painting which wasn't by Ian Davenport for some reason, Some Anj Smith style pictures that seem to be all the rage down Vyner street these days, with that heavily glazed staleness that is common RCA fodder. A horrible large abstract painting that looked as though the person that made it wanted you to believe that s/he is really interested in painting and what one can do with paint, but then when it comes down to it they really can't be bothered, and several realistic paintings/illustrations of ideas that seem to pad out every painting show you have ever been to, this stuff is not bad but it's not good either. Things I liked were a painting of a heart with a coctail glass, this reminded me that the world is not so bad and made me think of the optimism prevelant in David Hockneys Californian pool paintings. A couple to the left in the same room a green painting that looked as though it had been made by someone who actually was interested in paint/ painting and what it can do. The low point of the evening came from JJ Charlesworth (this man is an art critic) with his speech about how painting is so interesting because it can also be drawing, sculpture, video and any other accepted form of fine art practice you care to think of. If that is what makes contemporary painting so interesting then painting is fucked. If it was interesting there would be no need to pad out a painting show with sculptures. I wonder if the forth coming contemporary sculpture or video or photography or whatever else they are doing will feature any painting, then they can give the speech 'the exciting thing about performance art is that it can be a painting too'. Weak Weak Weak.