January2026No.27
WELCOMETOOURNEWSLETTER
AmessagefromourChair-
IremembermyfirstVAGweekend,Cardiff, 2016.NotanRPSmemberatthetime,Iwas invitedbyAndreasKlatt,whowasatthetime bothVAGChairand,withhissuper-efficient organisingwifeSue,hadtakenoverastrips organiseraswell.OvertimeIcameto recognisetheconsiderableamountofwork organisingtheseweekendscaninvolveandby thetimeAndreaswasseekingtopassonthe challengeâatBuxton,2021âIalsoremember thegreatrelieffeltbythewholegroupthatMike andSallyKitchingmanhadofferedtotakeover.
MikeandSallywerealreadywell-knownwithin theVAG,particularlyasstrongsupportersofthe Rollrightgroupmeetings,andtheirseemingly effortlessassumptionoftheroleoftrips organiser(s)wasinfactnosurprise.
Overthepastfouryearstheyhavedoneus proud,totheextentthatalltheirweekendtrips havebeensell-outswithinacoupleofweeksof theirreleaseandhaveraisedthestandardof
speakers/workshopproviderstogreatheights. Theircheerfulno-problemapproachhasmade attendingthemeetingsadelightandâtocapit all,fromtheRPSâsperspectiveâallhave coveredtheircosts,agreatachievement.They passonthechallengewithourgreatthanksand respect.Fortunatelybothwillcontinuetotake partand,Iamsure,assisttheneworganisers, JamesandHazelFrost,towhomwearealso grateful.
SoahugethankyoutoMikeandSallyforthe wonderfulweekendswehaveallshared.
MarkDeutschLRPS
Ihopeyouenjoythefirstnewsletterof2026. Pleasewatchoutfortheemailsregardingour AGMwhichwillstartappearinginlateFebruary 2026.Wereallydoappreciateyourparticipation.
CarolPaesARPS
ROLLRIGHT-MEETINGS
Futuredates:
SaturdayMarch7th2026 MembersâShowand Tell-themetofollow.ÂŁ5entrancefee
SaturdayMay16th2026 SpeakersTBC
SaturdayAugust22nd MembersâShowand tell
SaturdayNovember22nd SpeakersTBC
CharlesBinns
EMAIL&PRINTCIRCLES
Memberswillbesaddenedâasweareâtohear thatGillDishartARPS,whohasformanyyears runtheCircles,hashadtostanddownduetoillhealth.Fortunately,FredBarringtonFRPShas agreedtotakeoverbuthehasachallenge:he isnotsurehehascontactdetailsforallhis members.
IfyouareaCirclemember,pleasecontactFred tolethimknow. fredbarrington@gmail.com
WeareverygratefulforGillforherlongand devotedservicetotheVAG.
January2026No.27
GOINGUNDERGROUNDTO PHOTOGRAPHSTOCKHOLMâS AMAZINGMETROSTATIONS
EversinceachievingmyARPSdistinctionin 2013withapanelofprintsoftheLondon Underground,Ihavebeenfascinatedbyurban transportspacesandtheirpotentialasgalleries forartandphotography.LondonâsTube,withits bothmodernandhistoricarchitecture,setahigh bar.ButIhadlongheardthatStockholmâsmetro systemisoftencalledthelongestartgalleryin theworldandwassomewhereIhavewantedto seeforsometime.WhenIdiscoveredthatour BalticcruiseinJune2025wouldcallat Stockholm,Iknewthiswasmychance.
KungstrÀdgÄrden
Thecityâsmetro,knownastheTunnelbana,is legendary.Morethan90ofits100stations featureworksbyover150artistsâmurals,
mosaics,sculptures,installations,andlighting design.Manystationsarecarvedoutofbedrock, theirexposedrockfacespaintedinboldcolours thattransformutilitarianspacesintoimmersive environments.Foraphotographer,itis irresistible.
KungstrÀdgÄrden2
HavingnegotiatedtheTokyometrolastyearon ourown,mywifeandIdecidedthatratherthan booka90minuteguidedtourthatwouldhave costusÂŁ95each,weoptedforaself-guided adventure.AtjustÂŁ8perpersonfora24-hour travelcard,itwasafractionofthecostandgave usfreedomtoexploreatourownpace.Alittle researchbeforehandhelpedusplanarouteto someofthemostcelebratedstations.
Myfirstimpressionwashowcleanandspacious thesystemfeltânoneoftheclaustrophobia oftenassociatedwithundergroundtravel.We startedat T-Centralen,themaininterchange.Its deepbluewallsaredecoratedwithwhitefloral motifs,makingyoufeelasthoughyouare standinginsideavast,airycave.Thenatural rocksurfaceprovidesadramaticcounterpointto thepaintedwalls,andIfocusedoncapturingthe repeatingpatternsofescalatorsandarchways.
T-Centralen
Nextwas KungstrÀdgÄrden,perhapsthemost theatricalstation.Itsgreenandredcheckerboard floorandwhimsicalstatuesgivetheimpression ofsteppingintoanarchaeologicaldigcrossed withastageset.Themoodylightingwasperfect forhigh-contrastimages.Tripodsarenot permitted,buthandheldshotswereeasythanks tomoderncameratechnology.
Stadion,bathedinacheerfulsky-bluewashand featuringahugerainbowmuralattractedmany peoplelookingtopostonInstagram!
SolnaCentrum isperhapsthemost recognisablestation,itsglowingredrockvaults makingitfeellikethecentreoftheearth. Originally,theartistdesignedthisspacetobe solelygreenandred,buttheartistscontinuedto addlittlenewdetailsoverperiodsoftime.Little houses,treesandevenriverswereadded.
RĂ„dhusetStation.Thisstationlocatedbeneath theStockholmcourthouseresemblesan undergroundgrottowithorangerockandgrand columns.
TekniskaHögskolatn isagorgeousstationthat showcasesscientificadvanceswithintheart itself.
TekniskaHögskolatn
Whatstruckmemostwasthesheervariety:each stationfeltlikeadifferentartinstallation.Some wereplayful,otherspoliticalormeditativeâbut allofferedsomethingworthphotographing.
Asourtimeundergroundcametoanend,Ifelt bothsatisfiedandregretfulâsatisfiedatfinally seeingandphotographingthisuniquepublicart project,regretfulthatIcouldnotspendseveral daysexploringeverystation.
ForanyphotographervisitingStockholm,I cannotrecommendthemetrohighlyenough.Itis notjustawaytogetaroundbutadestinationin itsownrightâandforÂŁ8,oneofthebest-value photographicexperiencesinEurope.
PeterHumphreysFRPS
NORWICHDEBRIEF
OurNorwichweekendstartedoffwithabangthis time.Justaswewereleavinghometopickup theequipmentfromMagenta,ourstoragefacility, IgotaphonecallfromAstridMcGechan,oneof ourworkshopteamleaders.
She'dcontractedaverybadvirusandwas unabletojoinussomyfirsttaskwhenwearrived wastodisappointthememberswho'dsignedup forherworkshops....but,truetoform,theyall tookitingoodpartandwemanagedtoarrange alternativeworkshopsorarefundofthe workshopcost.
Therestoftheweekendrancomparatively smoothly,wehadsomereallyinspiringtalksfrom ourtwoworkshopteamleaders,JustinMinns andMarkReeveswhoareveryknowledgeable
ontheareaparticularlyJustinwhohaswritten someexcellentbooksontheNorfolkandEast Angliancountryside.
Asitwasourlaststintastheresidentialweekend organisersitwasparticularlyenjoyablemeeting upwithsomeoldfriends,alltheusualwonderful crowdalongwithVandaRalevskawhocame alongtogiveatalkandwewerealsojoinedby DavidandJoanJordanandNatandRuth CoalsonforourfarewelldinneronSunday evening.
It'sbeenarealprivilegeforSallyandmeto arrangetheseweekendsandneedlesstosay youwon'tbegettingridofus(lessofthemoans please)andwe'llbejoiningyouallbutas ordinaryrunofthemillmembers.
You'llallbeinexcellenthandsasHazelFrost FRPSandJamesFrostFRPSaretakingoverthe reins.Wecouldn'taskforabetterpairandI'm surethefunwillgoon.
You'llbehearingfromtheminthenearfuture (that'siftheyhaven'tbeenintouchalready)and theyhaveagreatweekendplannedinSheffield. I'llsaynomoreotherthankeepyourfingers poisedasit'ssuretobeanotherselloutweekend.
MikeKitchingmanARPS
ARTMURALS2023and2024
Background
In2022ArtUKapproachedRPSforvolunteer photographerstohelpwithasculptureproject.As yetundocumentedsculptures,monumentsand plaquesintheWestMidlandshadnotyetbeen photographed.IrespondedtothisappealasI hadjustretiredandwaslookingforaprojectto getinvolvedin.Iwaswithseveralothersinthe RPSacceptedfortheworkandwebecame knownastheâsculpturevulturesâ.
Iwasgivenalisttoworkthroughandwasgiven guidelinesastohowthephotographsweretobe taken.ThisIdulydidandcompletedthiswork satisfactorily.In2023anewmuralsprojectwas identifiedandfundingavailable.Again,Iwas givenalistthatwasconcentratedinthe Birminghamarea.Theapproachwasslightly differenttothesculpturesinthattheobjectswere notthreedimensional,butusuallyonwalls.After completingthisproject,itwasextendedinto2024 withmuralsintwospecificareas:Birmingham centreincludingDigbethandoutersuburbs includingMoseley.
Iamalifelongartistandphotographerandhave alwaysbeeninterestedinthevisualarts.This projectshouldbeofinteresttomembersofthe group.Muralsgenerallyarecommissionedart worksandnotgraffiti.Thestandardofartworkis generallyverygoodcomparedtograffitisprayed onartworks(Bankysnotincluded).Thisisvery poignantinDigbethwhichthereisaproliferation ofgraffiti.Businessescommissionartworks becausetheydonotwanttheirwallsgraffitiedon. Acommissionedartworkisgenerallyrespected bygraffitiartists.Also,therearesome commissionedartworksthatadvertiseafamous orwell-knownprogrammeassociatedwiththe westmidlandssuchasPeakyBlinders:thiswas onmy2024listandisshownbelow.
OneofthemuralswhichIphotographedin DigbethwastocelebrateJohnFKennedy, AmericanPresident.Thiswasamosaicoftiles andalthoughitwasnotincludedontheArtUK website,becauseithadapparentlybeen photographedpreviously,Ispentsome
timeremovingextraneousdistractingobjects fromthemural.Unfortunately,somegraffitiartists hadnotrespectedthismuralandhadsprayedon thesurroundingmetalworkbutnotonthemosaic itself.
LastyearIenteredtheRBSAâsphotographic competitionwithfourofmymuralswhichwere acceptedasanentry.Iincludethisentrybelow:
OneofthingsIlikedaboutdoingthemurals projectwasthatsomeofthecommissioned muralscelebratedsomeoneâslifewhohad contributedtothecommunityinsomeway.This wasoneoftheonesthatIphotographedin Moseley.Itwasadifficultshotbecausetherewas nodirectaccesstoit,inthatIhadtoshoot acrossabusyhighstreetandpointthecamera uptothemuralwhichwasonawallabove shops.
January2026No.27
ThemostcolourfulmuralswereinDigbeth,and thecreativityoftheartistsistobecelebratedand thevisualaspectofartinthecommunityis somethingtowhichIcloselyalignasanartist.It isfreelyavailabletolookatandenjoyand enhancesthelivingspaceofthepeoplelivingin thatspaceandthosewhocomeintothearea.A goodexampleofthisasmallnightclubwhohad commissionedtheartworkshownbelow:
Themostinterestingmuralswerethosethatwere therefornootherreasonthantheywere showcasingsomedisciplineratherthana commercialpurpose.Onagableendofa residentialpropertyinBirminghamacelebration ofthestarsandthewiderastronomicalinterest wasoneofthefirstthatIphotographedlastyear. Usingawide-anglelensandmyexperienceof doingpropertyphotographyprofessionallyIwas abletocapturethisshotwhichIthinksumsup muralphotographyatitsbest.
Ienjoyeddoingthemuralsprojectoverthetwo yearsandhavetheattributionontheArtUK website.
NEXTMEETING-7th February2026
TheGroupâsmeetings,heldatTheOldDiorama ArtsCentre,NW1,arebecomingverypopular with35membersattendingourlastMembersâ Dayon27th September.
WewereshowntwosuccessfulARPSpanelsby StevenGalvinARPSandNevilleMorganARPS andaFellowshippanelbyMartinSearleFRPS.
January2026No.27
Thesepresentationswereverywellreceivedand theprintswerealsoavailabletosee.Thesewere followedbyseveralmembersshowingtheirwork duringtheâShow&Tellâsession.
DavidTownshendFRPS
Thenextmeetingwillbeon 7th February2026 withapresentationbyDavidTownshendFRPSin themorning,followedbyaâShowandTellâ sessionintheafternoon.
Thelinkforbookingyourticketis:
https://events.rps.org/en/visual-art-group-londonmeeting-feb-2026-5a2NN2AzW8T/overview
Ilookforwardtoseeingmanyofyouatour meetings.
LindaWevillFRPS VisualArtLondonOrganiser e-mail: lindawevill@gmail.com
THEBARBICANESTATEAND COMPLEX THESITE: CRIPPLEGATEANDTHEBLITZ
AerialbombingbytheGermanLuftwaffeduring theBlitzdestroyedmostofthelocationwhere theBarbicannowsits,itwasonceoccupied mainlybytheCityâsragtrade:tailors, dressmakers,furriers,leatherandfabric merchantsandmanyyearspreviouslywasthe siteofaRomanencampmentandfort. TheBarbicaninitspresentformisoneofthe stalwartsofBrutalistarchitectureandis characterisedbytheuseofreinforcedconcreteâcheapandwidelyavailableinthe1960sand 1970sandusedbymanyarchitectsofthat period.ThewordcamefromSwissModernistLe
January2026No.27
Corbusierâsdescriptionofthematerialusedfor hishousingdevelopmentinMarseille-âbeton brutâ,meaningrawconcreteâandwasthen popularisedbythecriticReynerBanham.
ConstructionfortheBarbicanEstatestartedin 1965andtook11yearstocomplete.Thecomplex, designedbyarchitectsChamberlin,Powelland Bon,wasGradeII-listedinSeptember2001and oncompletionaswellashousing,itcomprised twotheatres,aconcerthall,alibrary,anart gallery,threecinemas,aconservatory,offices, restaurant,shopsandfoyers.
TheBarbicancomplexbecameGradeIIlistedon 5September2001.Ithassincebeendesignated asiteofspecialarchitecturalinterest,thereason beingthedesignconceptsemployedbythe architects,theplannednatureoftheestate,the formofthetowersandtheirdistinctivesilhouettes,
theformandrelationshipbetweenthelowerscale housingblocksandtherelationshipbetweenthe buildings,spacesandusesallcontributetothe estate'sspecialinterest.Thedetailingofthe buildingsisalsoimportantandtheBrutalist qualities,suchasthescaleandrhythmofthe columns,edgebeamsandtheuseofbushhammeredconcrete,areparticularlydistinctive.
Throughoutthevariousphasesofitsplanning, theBarbicanâsappearancewentthroughmany iterationsthatwouldâvecompletelyalteredits appearancefromtheroughconcretefinishthat itâsnowfamousfor.
Originally,Chamberlin,PowellandBonintended theBarbicantolooksimilartotheirdesignsfor theneighbouringGoldenLaneEstate,with colouredpanelsandmoredelicatedetailing,and ina1959report,thearchitectsoutlinedplansfor theterraceblockstobecoveredwithwhite marble,thetowerstobecoatedwithhighly polishedconcrete,andthecolumnstobe finishedinsmooth,colouredconcrete.Itwas evenproposedthatthebalconiesbesurfaced withmosaictiles. Perhapsunsurprisingly,thisratherlavishand costlyselectionofmaterialswasturneddownby
January2026No.27
theCityofLondon,resultinginthecheaperalthoughincrediblylabourintensive-hammered concretefinishweknowandlove.Itâs architecturecanbeviewedalsoasareaction againsttheonce-popular,lightweightquirky colourfuldesignaestheticofthe1951Festivalof Britain.
Asanaside,thesiteoftheBarbicanisalsoclose tositesusedasplaguepitsduringtheBlack Death.Barbicanstaffmembersworkinglate shiftshavereportedstrangesightingsand goings-on,withsomerefusingtoworkonLevel -2aftersightingsofghostlyCenturionslingering wheretheRomanfortoncestood.
Itâsaplacefullofphotographicopportunities,with itstunnelsandtexturesateveryturnitâsajoy.It lendsitselfparticularlywelltoblackandwhite photographyandIâvealsotakenmanyinfrared shotsintheSummerwhereonecancounterpoint theorganicsoftnessofthefoliagewiththestark concreteandgeometryofthestructures.
Itâswellworthavisitasitsintricacywilloccupy youforhoursandyouâllprobablyfindyourself returningmorethanonce.
7MARCH2026(10AMâ4PM)
WOODBURYVILLAGEHALL,FLOWER STREET,WOODBURY,EX51LX
Fee:ÂŁ12
ThenextRPSSWVisualArtEventwilltake placeatWoodburyVillageHall.Ourguest speakerwillbeVivecaKohFRPSFIPFwithher presentationentitledâACollectionofMomentsâ. Asusual,theafternoonsessionwillbededicated totheparticipantsshowingtheirwork(digitaland print).Ticketsarenowavailableonline-https:// events.rps.org/en/visual-art-south-west-meetingmarch-2026-5a2NN2B0xpl/overview.
CostÂŁ12(RefreshmentsâCoffee/Tea/Biscuits) included.
January2026No.27
Formoreinformationaboutthisevent,contact MarÄłaLeesatvisualartsouthwest@rps.org.
MarÄłaLeesLRPS
RPSSWVisualArtOrganiser
2026EXHIBITION PROGRESSâŠâŠ
YouwillallhaveseentheGroupCommunication emailsentoutinearlyDecemberlastyear, notifyingyouofanExhibitionupdate.Thisisjust alittlepostscripttoletyouknowofprogressto date.
Thewinnersandacceptedimagesforthe exhibitionhavebeenpostedtotheVAGgroup webpagesandlinkstotheonlinevideohavealso beenpostedonthewebandsocialmediapages, butjustincaseyoumissedthem:
https://rps.org/groups/visual-art/
TheExhibitionCataloguehasbeendesignedand haditsfirststagechecksdone,soit wonâtbelongbeforeitâsofftoprint!Itmaybea bitlaterthanusualbutitâsoutofmyhands fornow-itstillneedsfinalapprovalfirst,butit shouldbesentoutinearlyFebruary. Congratulationstoallthosewhohadtheirimages selectedandespeciallytheawardees. Iâmstilllookingforareplacementco-ordinator,so letthecommitteeknowifyouâdlikea shotatit!
HappyNewYear,
TomLeeFRPS ExhibitionCo-ordinator.
COMMITTEEMEMBERS
ThefollowingmembersmakeupyourVAG Committeefor2025/26:
Chair
MarkDeutschLRPS
Secretary&Newsletter CarolPaesARPS
Treasurer BarryBarkerFRPS
Membership ValGlennyARPS
ExhibitionsCoordinator TomLeeFRPS
MagazinesCoordinator SamanthaRuthARPS
SocialMediaCoordinator StevenGalvinARPS
ExhibitionsMember MartynPearse
WebEditor MichaelButterworthLRPS
CirclesCoordinator GillDishartARPS
Residentialweekends HazelFrostFRPS
CommitteeMember PaulBullockLRPS
CommitteeMember MikeKitchingmanARPS
Therearealsothreesub-grouporganisersand oneVisualArtGrouprepresentativefortheTyng Collection.Theyare:
VisualArtRollright CharlesBinns
VisualArtSouthwest MarÄłaLeesLRPS
VisualArtLondon LindaWevillFRPS
TyngCo-ordinator RobertHerringshawARPS