Royal Academy Of Art: Summer Exhibition Review

The Royal Academy of Arts put up an edgy and modern exhibition running from 10^th June to 19^th August in the main galleries for the 245^th year this summer, which was a colorful contrast to previous years.

The crowd was not your expected mix of stuffy art critics and snooty Art history majors, but instead was a welcome pot of students, tourists, couples and families.

This is the largest exhibition in the world and this year the coordinators, Norman Ackroyd and Eva Jiricna, revamped the display, where the rooms were a variation from the conservative layout that has been the RAs trademark for the last 244 years.

There was a noticeable energy to the entrance room, where the tightly packed walls made you jump right into it. The rooms were divided by discipline namely photography, prints, architecture, films and much more.

Some rooms were more appealing than others, first among them being the series of six tapestries entitled The Vanity of Small Differences by Grayson Perry, telling the story of the rise and fall of Tim Rakewell.

These tapestries were beautifully done, with bright colours and surreal drawings complete with illustrations telling Mr. Rakewells story. It was these illustrations that captivated you, making you feel more connected with the work once you understood the background.

The last of these tapestries, which illustrated his death, was a very moving piece. The work was very stark and blunt which is probably why it was so memorable

Another room that left a mark was the media of painting, drawing, photography and video. Photography always has a more human aspect to it, so it was no surprise that it was a well-received display. With some beautiful landscapes and portraits, it was a welcome change from the rest of the exhibition.

The sculpture display, which was a surprisingly easy room to co-ordinate through despite my large backpack, was the only room that was not packed to capacity. The sculptors were well lit, setting a welcoming ambience for people to take their time walking through them.

The most striking piece was a life-size recreation of an original Fiat 500 in steel and bronze rods by Ron Arad, which posed a sudden contrast to the modern everyday vehicle making you realize how far the world has come.

The largest room, which was hall three, was the least flattering of the lot, with unending abstract canvases draped across the walls assaulting your senses and leaving you with a confused taste.

Over all, the exhibition was an afternoon well spent, especially since a portion of the revenues is used to fund the R.A schools, providing a platform for future Picassos.

Bubble Tea- My first solo feature as a journalist in training

‘Frankenstein’s lab’ is what comes to mind when you walk into this small store On Rupert Street in trendy Soho. Complete with employees dressed in white lab coats, black walls with recipes drawn in chalk and test tubes used to hold the various liquids- this is a bubble tea store.

Bubbleology, as the chain is called, is the newest global craze. This delicious Taiwanese tea is served to you custom made to your tastes. You can have it hot or cold, milky or fruity and with many delicious flavors to choose from, it is refreshing drink for any season.

Angellos Berdos, 21, the branch supervisor, has been working at the store for almost a year. When asked how many customers he has to serve a day he said: ‘Per day? We get 500 a day at least. It’s not as busy during the afternoon but after 5pm, the cue reaches all the way to the bus stop.’

Originating from a happy accident in a teahouse in Taichung, Taiwan, the inventor, Liv Han-Chieh, had a brilliant idea to serve cold tea in the same way that she had been served cold coffee. From there on the recipes progressed until Bubble Tea stretched from street corners in Indonesia to high class stores in the UK.

The store has two ‘scientists’ behind the bar at all times. Angellos said: ‘The summer months are a lot busier; there are many tourists around this area, and the heat is making people buy more fruity teas.’

When asked how the tea was made, Angellos smiles slyly and points to the back door.

The décor is complete with a large steel door marked ‘TOP SECRET,’ and when asked about what was back there Angellos said: ‘That is where we keep our recipes and ingredients. Our teas are completely fresh and the ingredients arrive every three hours. The ingredients are all from Taiwan where bubble tea is originally from.’

Another unique feature and its biggest appeal is the ‘Boba’ or ‘Tapioca’ which are small, black, chewy balls the size of marbles. They have the same consistency as jelly and they are added to your tea. You then use a thick, hollow straw to suck up the tapioca with your tea.

Angellos says that tapioca ‘gets him crazy, ‘and that it is the main reason he likes coming to work in the morning. ‘I can never have enough tapioca; I usually make my drink with double the usual amount. All the people that come in here order the tapioca before they pick a drink.’

Bubble Tea is just as famous in the winters, when the teas are served hot to customers. The more loyal customers are seen here in the winter months, with the tourist season over.

‘Taro is a big thing in the summer, it is ordered the most,’ says Angellos. ‘Usually people will come in here and ask for a suggestion, and I advise the fruit teas because they are easier to start off with.’

This ‘healthy delicious juice’ as a student at the shop, Zainab Mahmud, 16, called it is a must try on a hot summers day.