Architecture Room at this Year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

ARCHITECTURE ROOM AT THIS YEAR’S ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMER EXHIBITION

APRIL 2022

Níall McLaughlin and artist Rana Begum will co-curate the architecture room at this year’s Royal

Academy Summer Exhibition. Celebrated British sculptor Alison Wilding RA will co-ordinate the 254th exhibtion.

This year Wilding will explore the theme of Climate. “The theme of Summer Exhibition 2022 is

CLIMATE in all its manifestations. Whether it presents as crisis or opportunity, nightmare or

memories, or simply our everyday experience of weather, - CLIMATE is a huge all-embracing and

urgent subject.”

The Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission contemporary art show which has

taken place every year without interruption since 1769. The members of the Summer Exhibition

Committee serve in rotation, ensuring that every year the exhibition has a distinctive character, with

each Royal Academician responsible for a particular gallery space. Works from all over the world are

judged democratically on merit and the final selection is made during the eight-day hang within the

galleries.

AUCKLAND CASTLE COMPETITION WIN

FEBRUARY 2014

Niall McLaughlin Architects and Purcell have won the competition to transform Auckland Castle in County Durham into a national museum of religion and religious art. The former historic home of the bishops of Durham, the castle is considered to be the third most historically significant ecclesiastical complex in Europe, after the Vatican and Avignon. Auckland Castle was bought by businessman and philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer who aims to turn it into a major visitor attraction and heritage site in the North East. The client hopes to receive funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund in support of the project and set up the Auckland Castle Trust to oversee the restoration and development of the castle and grounds. The central attraction will be the rare paintings by Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbarán, considered to be some of the most significant religious treasures in Europe and part of the castle’s history for more than 250 years.

Auckland Castle Website