RPS 159th Print Exhibition - Taunton

I went to the RPS Print Exhibition 159 yesterday as it toured the provinces.  It was displayed in the Museum of Somerset building with all 100 prints on display.  My main criticism was that all the eclectic images, and they were so diverse, were displayed with reflective glass.  I was looking at one row of prints only to find that the row on the opposite row were reflected in the image I was studying. I could also see the reflection of anyone who was studying those images.

You can see from the above image how bad it was.  Each of the 100 images had the same problem.  Luckily I went when it wasn't very busy but if there were large numbers of viewers it could spoil it for everyone.

On the other hand I found that, for once, I could agree with the Gold Medal image of Alice by Carolyn Mendelsohn which was quite delightful.  I very often can't understand why such a picture would be awarded a winning place but this one is entrancing.

Carolyn MendelsohnCarolyne

Carolyn Mendelsohn

(c) Alice by Carolyn Mendelsohn

There were the inevitable pictures that I found quite incomprehensible and I found I was in accordance with the photographers who had accompanied me to Taunton.

Here's a couple of prints from the 'also ran' images which I could enjoy.  About 10% were completely incomprehensible.

On the whole I enjoyed the visit as I was also able to visit the Sisters in Song being exhibited in the Rebellion basement gallery.

This was interesting as a photographer called Cecil Sharp went round the county taking pictures of Women Folk Singers.  Cecil, a London-based music teacher, began collecting Somerset folk songs in August 1903. This exhibition tells the story of the Somerset women who provided Sharp with hundreds of folks songs. It includes a selection of photographs provided by the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, English Folk Dance and Song Society.