Stephen Cox RA, Pickled Walnut, 1 June 2020.
Pastel, pencil and charcoal on paper. 345 mm x 250 mm. © Royal Academy of Arts. © Photo: Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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Stephen Cox RA (b. 1946)
RA Collection: Art
Cox's pastel drawing focuses on a central circular shape bisected in green and black. It is densely worked so that the distinctive watermark of the handmade 'Zecchi' paper stands out in relief on the lower right.
Cox has always shown a strong fascination with contour, articulating his sculptural forms in space. Here he translates that on to paper, focusing intently on the rounded pointed form of the walnut and its subtle symmetry.
This work was produced for the Varnishing Day Portfolio: A Moment in Time project. With the onset of the global pandemic in Spring 2020, and for the first time in the history of the Royal Academy, the Summer Exhibition was postponed.The portfolio represents the first time that the community of Royal Academicians has collaborated on one piece of work as the project intended to document what this group of artists and architects were doing, thinking and making on 1 June 2020 (traditionally the annual RA celebration of 'Varnishing Day', the day when Royal Academicians traditionally celebrate the start of the Summer Exhibition and put the finishing touches to their works). The finished publication can be seen here https://shop.royalacademy.org.uk/varnishing-day-portfolio
345 mm x 250 mm