The 140th Annual Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition: an opportunity for young artists' voices to be heard
Abby Davidson
The prestigious Royal Ulster Academy of Arts opened for its 140th annual exhibition at the Ulster Museum on October 29. This year’s exhibition is a significant one as it marks a return to in person exhibition experiences and it did not fail to impress.
Troubles of Reincarnation by Stephanie Clokey, all photos courtesy of the artist.
Hosting work from a range of local artists including Sarah Longley, Emma Spence and Chris Wilson, the range of media and subject matter is remarkable. From video work and sculpture to paintings and collage. The Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition is known to be a place where young and upcoming artists are given a space to showcase their work. This year one such artist is Stephanie Clokey.
Stephanie is a part-time artist based in Lisburn. Her painting Troubles of Reincarnation was selected to be in this year’s exhibition – the first time Stephanie has been featured in the Academy’s show.
Talking to Stephanie gives an enlightened insight into the story behind her painting. Stephanie was always artistic, painting and drawing from a young age under the influence of her Dad. As they sketched together, Stephanie thought “one day I want to be as good as he is”. The influences for Stephanie’s painting aesthetic in the art world stem from the works of artists such as Rembrandt and Caravaggio, painters who are known for their clever and intuitive use of light and shadow to create emotion. Stephanie recalls to me the first time she ever saw a Rembrandt self-portrait in Edinburgh, and how emotional it made her feel. Despite all of this, her biggest inspiration does not come from artists, but from the “people around me [Stephanie]”.
Troubles of Reincarnation is one of a series of paintings showing the human form. The painting was initially inspired by the 1927 novel Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse. The novel follows the spiritual journey of a young man, a story that Stephanie related to so much that she felt the need to paint what she was feeling and release her emotions. Stephanie described “the possibility of hope” that the book left her with, saying that the painting represents the “first moment after rock bottom” and is all about mental health. The androgynous figure at the heart of the piece is a representation of the sensation of “emerging from a dark period”.
Stephanie chose to enter her piece into the selection process for the exhibition because she thinks this painting is “more relevant than ever”, coming out of a period where many people experienced isolation and grief like never before. When she found out that she’d been selected she “couldn’t believe it”, having visited the exhibition every year with her Dad. To be placed beside other artists, such as award-winning sculptor Helen Merrigan Colfer and painter Leah Davis was a “scary” experience but a positive one.
The opportunities that the Royal Ulster Academy Exhibitions offer young artists like Stephanie are huge, as there is potential to make contacts, gain recognition and receive potential gallery showings and commissions. The exhibition creates a safe space to acknowledge artistic talent regardless of an individual’s background. As Stephanie put it; “it’s just good art that can bring people together...Belfast is starting to come into its own...to have its own voice.”
You can view the digital Royal Ulster Academy exhibition here: https://www.royalulsteracademy.org
Abby Davidson is a Culture Reporter and Liberal Arts student at Queen’s University Belfast.