General

On Sunday (24th) a large group of budding artists from Repton School embarked on a trip to London to see some of the most widely appreciated works of art ever produced.

The trip was arranged to allow us to visit The Royal Academy of Arts' current exhibition of the remarkable works of Van Gogh, The Real Van Gogh The Artist and His Letters.  This exhibition has been strongly featured in the national press due to the number of pieces featured which have been gathered from all over the world, and with many on loan from private collections. 

Van Gogh’s most famous works could be viewed from just millimetres away, from the same position that the great artist himself stood when conducting these great pieces of art. Works that stood out were ‘The Postman’ (1888) and ‘The Chair’ (1888) as well as a ‘Self-Portrait’ (1887) which really took us face-to-face with Van Gogh. Just being able to view these astonishing pieces of art up close allowed us to really take in the colourful mind of Van Gogh and experience his thoughts and ideas as reflected through his paintings. Although we couldn’t take photos of the pieces, we were able to draw and make sketches of the works to provide a personal memory of art which we may never get the chance to view first hand again.

Later, we took the coach through London, passing the many arrays of shops and restaurants to arrive at Trafalgar Square. After a quick photo shoot at the foot of Nelson’s Column, we headed off to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Here we found some of the most extraordinary artefacts and pieces of work from all over the world. We were able to experience life-size and gripping replicas such as Michaelangelo’s statue‘David’ and ‘Trajan’s Column’. As we were able to take photos in the V&A, the expedition was very successful and well documented by everyone in one way or another.

The trip to The Royal Academy and The Victoria and Albert Museum gave us an insight into how art is delivered in many forms, visually and mentally and comes from every culture around the world.

Nearing the end of the day, we spent a couple of hours in London itself, allowing us to view the city when it truly comes alive; at night. After dinner and a little shopping, we captured a few more photos of the beautiful evening and set off for home.

The day was a triumphant success and was appreciated by all who came. Many thanks to the Art Team of Repton School for the organisation of the trip, providing us with the opportunity to see some of the most remarkable pieces of work ever created.

Edward Gould (5P)