Study art in London
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Despite the current economic climate, London's art scene is thriving. We explore the major developments taking place in the city's galleries.
London is one of the world's busiest cities, with a rich tradition of painting stretching back to the Renaissance. But, at the same time, it is a blank canvas.
The vibrancy and diversity of Britain's capital has always inspired artists towards reinterpretation and invention, which is one reason why it is Europe's biggest art centre and the second largest in the world after New York.
While many people feel the New York art scene is becoming more corporate and predictable, London has retained and strengthened its reputation for producing cutting-edge artists, taught by some of the best tutors in the world's most prestigious art schools.
Institutions like the University of Arts London, the Royal College of Art and Goldsmiths, University of London have been fine-tuning the skills of world-renowned painters such as Lucian Freud, Bridget Riley and David Hockney for decades.
Some of these schools have departments dedicated to painting, a media that is still very much in fashion.
Richard Noble, head of the department of art at Goldsmiths, comments, “Painting remains a profoundly important art form. It is also, without doubt, one of the most difficult media to work in, given the weight of the tradition painters must carry.”
London has always attracted international painters and continues to draw artists from all over the world. The city's art schools have a high ratio of international students, and relish the creativity that can develop when different cultures are brought together.
“Visual art is a global phenomenon,” continues Richard. “It is crucially important to our students that they come into contact with students from different artistic traditions. This broadens their minds and on the whole makes them more interesting artists.”
Posted: Tuesday 9 February 2010