Review of the Royal Drawing Schools 25th Anniversary Exhibition 'The Power of Drawing'
- Jeremy Simmonds
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
A joint review by Jeremy Simmonds and Tina Chen
It is difficult to place sufficient emphasis on just how valuable and important the Royal Drawing School has been to an artform arguably the most elementary, yet perhaps the most diverse of those that have mirrored, decorated and informed our world across the millennia. From the primitive cave image to the flourishing technical work of the past century, draughtsmanship in its myriad forms continues to entice the eye and convey the most personal of responses – and The Power of Drawing at the RDS offers a small but highly-nourishing slice of what is possible. Since the year 2000, an incredible 25 years, the school has opened its doors to a wealth of talent, and this exhibition reflects and builds upon what the RDS has produced over that quarter-century – no fewer than six-hundred drawing graduates later…
On entry, one is struck by the unpolished yet animated work of Denzil Forrester, an observer who seems able to pack what feels like an hour of activity into a single image named King in the Arena, before one’s attention is arrested by the deeply personal work of Chantal Joffe – an artist who documents her own story in a series of stark yet imploring images entitled Pictures of What I Did Not See. Other works employing pencil include the detailed and symbolic drawing of Olivia Kemp and the claustrophobic, yet alluring study by Francesca Mollett.
There are also numerous contributions from artists whose reputations will be more widely familiar: offerings can be enjoyed from many celebrated names such as Quentin Blake, Tim Burton, Tracey Emin, David Hockney, Antony Gormley, Grayson Perry, Rufus Wainwright, Tacita Dean and even the school’s original founder, HM King Charles III, whose notational style draws the question as to where he might have taken a colour rendition of his featured sketch, Highgrove from the Thyme Walk.
Among the visitors, Tina had the pleasure of meeting an incredibly talented young artist, Louis Pohl Koseda, whose work is also on display. Koseda explores the city, its people, and their behaviours through fine line drawing, figurative compositions, and mnemonic cityscapes—reflecting on modern moral issues in British society. His work is guided by a deep understanding of life and the limitless power of imagination.
For ‘this’ graduate of illustration and design (KIAD, 1986), perhaps the most striking pieces were Alice Shirley’s vibrant woodland-scape Birds of Singapore and the eye-catching three-dimensional creation of Es Devlin’s Redraw the Edges of Yourself. (I’ll concede that I enjoy images of wildlife.) However, there are of course images here that will appeal to every taste, the creators of which have all offered their thoughts on the importance of drawing, and how it has shaped their own lives and development.
This free exhibition is also augmented by a series of streamed talks and events that will doubtless have appeal above and beyond what is exhibited at the school: booking for many of these is essential, so do consult the school’s website for further details. These include fine art, performance, film, architecture, illustration, and design.
The Power of Drawing is highly recommended for the art-lover and would-be practitioner alike. Tina said, "I’m really interested in joining one of the short drawing courses at the Royal Drawing School. It’s such a renowned institution, dedicated to the practice, teaching, and appreciation of drawing across so many creative disciplines. I love that it was founded to nurture artistic skills and creativity, and that it offers not just courses, but also exhibitions and events that celebrate the enduring importance of drawing. Plus, the school’s location is fantastic—there’s amazing vibrant graffiti art all around, which makes the whole experience even more inspiring on the way to and from the school."
The Power of Drawing can be viewed between 1-26 July at The Royal Drawing School, 19-22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG
Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm, Saturdays 10am - 4pm
Free admission, booking required:
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