2022 RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show at Saatchi Gallery: a new selection of international artists & photographers showcase global flora this spring
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Saatchi Gallery continue their partnership and will present the 2022 RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show this April.
Following the success of the 2021 edition, the annual exhibition will return this Spring and will showcase new work from leading botanical artists and photographers across three galleries.
Entries for the show have been through a meticulous pre-selection process, where the scientific accuracy, technical skill and aesthetic appeal of the work is reviewed by an expert judging panel prior to the show opening, with artists and photographers awarded RHS Gold, Silver-Gilt, Silver and Bronze medals, as well as a series of special awards including ‘Best Botanical Art Exhibit’ and ‘Judge’s Special Award’.
In 2022, a diverse range of subjects will be presented by participants ranging from plants that have grown in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Tsunami to Rosulate Violas found at the height of the Andes Mountains. In addition, native British trees and hedgerow plants will complement illustrations of beautiful garden flowers. Anatomical drawings reveal the structure and form of some of our garden favourites, alongside explorations of the ecological and economic significance of many familiar fruits and flowers.
New photography entries include stereographic panoramas from various locations in the Hampshire New Forest and macro photography capturing the details of tiny Holly Parachute fungi. Flat lay photography of winter garden buds examines how different plants flourish, with multiple entries exploring rainbow themes across image series.
Former Gold medal winning exhibitors will also show their work alongside artists participating in the 2022 exhibition for the first time.
Last year’s award-winning exhibits included the delicately executed ‘Native British Deciduous Trees Featuring Galls’ by Pauleen Trim and the stunningly rendered ‘Endemic Plants of Japan’s Ogasawara Islands, A UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site’ from Kimiko Miyahara, setting a high standard of skill and creative flair. Gold awards for photography included Francesca Wilkinson’s ‘Full Circle – Studies of Cyclamen coum and Cyclamen hederifolium’, using varied focus for dreamy vanishing forms.
The show is a highlight in the calendar of the RHS Lindley Library, complementing its extensive collection of botanical artworks, photographs and illustrations which include more than 30,000 works.
Charlotte Brooks, Art Curator at the RHS, “We are thrilled to be exhibiting some of the most exciting botanical art and photography at Saatchi Gallery again this year. The work submitted has been of an extremely high standard and we are excited for these artists and photographers to have the opportunity to showcase their work and delight new audiences.”
Laura C. Uccello, Director of Partnerships at Saatchi Gallery, “The 2021 edition captured great interest from our visitors who enjoyed the crossover between contemporary art and science brought by this show to Saatchi Gallery. In 2022, we are excited to expand our partnership with the RHS and present new works by local and international artists which will further spark the curiosity of our audiences.”
The RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show will be open to the public from the 9th-29th April 2022 with free entry for RHS and Saatchi Gallery members.
For more information about the RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show visit: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events
