The King Charles’s Foundation is ringing in the new year with a striking new exhibition that blends sacred tradition with visual spectacle, opening on Tuesday in the atmospheric Garrison Chapel at Chelsea Barracks.
The free show celebrates the work of 10 emerging icon painters and marks the charity’s 35th anniversary in fitting artistic style.
Described by organizers as both a “spiritual encounter” and a “visual delight”, the exhibition showcases intricate works created by students from the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts.
Each piece reflects the centuries-old discipline of icon painting, brought to life by a new generation of artists.
Aidan Hart, director and teacher of the Shrewsbury-based Certificate of Icon Painting course, promises visitors more than just a gallery tour.
“Those who attend the exhibition will be treated to a real feast for the eyes,” he said, “and be able to encounter a different kind of beauty.”
Visitors will not only get a snapshot of the students’ talents, but they will see almost the entire story.
The works on display account for around 80 percent of what the artists produced during their three-year tenure, making the exhibition closer to a grand finale than a simple showcase.
The part-time program is as rigorous as it is reverent.
Over three years, the students will complete seven major works: two studies of heads, two busts, two full figures and an ambitious “festival” icon depicting a defining moment in the life of Christ or the Virgin Mary.
As course leader Aidan Hart explained, there is no hiding behind a single masterpiece.
“As part of the programme, the students have to exhibit at least six of the seven icons they have created,” he said.
