The Royal Academy in London hosted its annual summer party in honour of its impending exhibition happening this season. The event acted as a preview of what was to come and saw many notable fixtures of London’s fashion scene flock to join the party.
“There is a slightly piña colada-ish vibe going on tonight — and I wanted the outfit to be all about color – because I get photographed a million times,” said artist Grayson Perry, chair of the summer exhibition preview party, who is known for his eccentric and vibrant outfits. Meanwhile guests at the party included the likes of Henry Holland, Nick Grimshaw, Laura Bailey, Simon, Yasmin and Amber Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Dan Stevens and Edie Campbell. This year’s event was coordinated by Michael Craig-Martin and included more than 10,000 works of art from artists around the globe, all of which were on sale. The proceeds will go toward funding the The Royal Academy’s post-graduate programs.
As well as the works of art, which were selected by the general public and then shortlisted and curated, the steps of the Royal Academy’s entrance were also decorated with a series of thick and thin bright vinyl stripes that looked suspiciously like lollipops. “It’s unique — there is nothing else like it in the world — and we’ve been doing it for nearly 250 years,” said the Norman Ackroyd, an English artist who helped to shortlist the submissions and hang the pieces, of the Royal Academy’s work. “I am a big fan – the Royal Academy is one of Britain’s greatest institutions,” added Nick Rhodes.
More information on the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition can be found here.
