Cosquieri places the Rock ‘on the artistic map’ in Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

‘Rock of Ages’, a work by local artist Paul Cosquieri from his popular Rock series, has been selected for this year’s 2019 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Once again the show at the RA in London celebrates art and creativity which continues to be recognised as the world’s largest open submission art show bringing together art in all mediums – prints and paintings, film, photography, sculpture, architectural works and more.

There will be around700 works on show selected from some 13,000 works entered this year from all over the world from leading artists, Royal Academicians and household names as well as new and emerging talent.

Mr Cosquieri told the Chronicle he was extremely happy, proud and honoured to have made it into this year’s prestigious Summer Exhibition.

“Getting selected is a considerable achievement on a personal level. But what really makes me proud is knowing that one of my images of the Rock will be hanging amongst the works of some of Britain's top artists. It is a bit like placing the Rock on the artistic map and in a very particular year with Brexit looming in the background,” he says.

This year is the 251st Summer Exhibition which has been co-ordinated by British painter and Royal Academician Jock McFadyen. 

The show has run without interruption since 1769. The 250th anniversary last year proved a record breaking year for the Royal Academy show. The selection committee this year has included Royal Academicians Anne Desmet and Barbara Rae who exhibited locally in the ‘Line and Colours’ show held at the Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery back in 2016.

In the last few years only one other local artist Karl Ullger has seen his work hang in this exhibition.
Mr Cosquieri has submitted other works in the past. This was his fourth attempt at being part of this prestigious exhibition for which he entered two pieces.

He admits he had no intention of entering the successful work ‘Rock of Ages’.

“It was actually Gino Sanguinetti, in all his wisdom, who selected this piece for me. He also chose another (of my smaller pieces) but I turned it down in favour of one of my larger Rock paintings. In this case, opting for a smaller format does seem to make a difference,” he says.

Gibraltar Cultural Services Chief Executive, Seamus Byrne, described Mr Cosquieri a prolific artist.

“A well-known figure in the local art community who is gaining popularity internationally, having over the last few years exhibited his works at numerous galleries and events in the UK. Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar congratulates Paul on this extraordinary achievement,” he said.

Local entries at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition are supported by the Gibraltar Cultural Services working on behalf of Government by providing assistance to the artists, as part of their cultural development programme and providing funding towards the cost of transporting the artworks to UK.

This was in keeping with the Government’s commitment in the promotion of local artists abroad, he added.

Meanwhile highlights at this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition will include an animal-themed ‘menagerie’ in the Central Hall, with works by artists including Polly Morgan, Charles Avery and Mat Collishaw.

Artist sisters Jane and Louise Wilson will curate two galleries, one of which will showcase work exploring light and time. Other artists exhibiting this year include Jeremy Deller, Marcus Harvey and Tracey Emin.

This year the Summer Exhibition will run from 10 June to 12 August.

Last year the Summer Exhibition generated more than £5 million in artwork sales and attracted 300,000 visitors.