RA Lates: America Dreaming
Saturday 22 April 2017 7 - 11.45pm
Royal Academy of Arts
£35. Includes access to all curated entertainment and experiences, entry to 'America after the Fall: Painting in the 1930s' and a bespoke cocktail
America after the Fall: Painting in the 1930s
Join us for a night-long celebration of the 1930s American dream.
During the Great Depression, the idea of the American dream motivated a nation struggling with mass unemployment, urbanisation and industrialisation. The arrival of the "talkies" from Hollywood provided relief from the harsh economic realities, while novels such as John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath brought into sharp relief the reality of life in rural America.
At this Late we explore the myth of the American dream in all its glory. Think automobiles, the New Deal, the Dust Bowl, Golden Age of Hollywood, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, and above all – freedom.
Dress code: All-American vintage
Think cowboys, Hollywood starlet, prairie farmer or hard-boiled detective.
Need inspiration? Head to our Pinterest.
£35. Includes access to all curated entertainment and experiences, entry to 'America after the Fall: Painting in the 1930s' and a bespoke cocktail
America after the Fall: Painting in the 1930s
Hollywoodland film studios
The arrival of the "talkies" in the late 1920s heralds the Golden Age of Hollywood and the city’s film studios are abuzz with creativity, excitement and experimentation. Become part of this large-scale immersive experience produced by Wilson & Hart. First, mingle with Hollywood’s elite at the wrap party of The Wizard of Oz, the first film of its kind! Next, audition for a role with the town’s most formidable producers and if you’re lucky – take part in a shoot for a new detective movie. Or, explore the actor’s trailers and get the latest backstage gossip. Remember – in Los Angeles, everyone’s a star.
Southern state hoedown vs Chicago music hall
We invite you to journey between our two lively dance-halls as we play host to a cowboy stomping Southern hoe-down with Country and Western Swing performances by Wheatley’s Lucky Stars. Then, venture to the smoky underground music-halls of the 1930s where Benoit Viellefon and his Orchestra perform big band 1930s classics. Featuring dance performances by The Bees Knees.
American Dream soapbox talks
Join our series of lively political soapbox talks that challenge the concept of the American Dream. Speakers include Professor Jonathan Bell (University College London), Dr Tom Davies (University of Sussex), Dr Joanna Cohen (Queen Mary, University of London).
Dibble House
Grant Wood's iconic painting American Gothic is brought to life at this immersive installation by Abby Sumrie and Alice Davies (UAL). Delve into the lives of this fictional couple and uncover stories and clues about their identities in Eldon, Iowa.
Art Macabre X Jennifer Farmer
"Urban dustbowls and Emerald City dreams. Cotton pickers tend a suffocating Mother Earth. White roses carrying white Harlem heels". In a series of performance provocations to be sketched, Art Macabre and live artist Jennifer Farmer throw down the pitchfork and centre the marginalised narratives of the American landscape. Grab a pencil and let the tableaux inspire your drawings and ignite your imagination.
Street food stalls and cocktail bars
Stalls include gourmet hot dogs from Engine’s, mac ‘n’ cheese from The Mac Factory, plus cocktail and champagne bars open until late.
Exclusive after-hours private view of 'America After the Fall: Painting in the 1930s'
The art of 1930s America tells the story of a nation in flux. Artists responded to rapid social change and economic anxiety with some of the 20th century's most powerful art – brought together now in this once-in-a-generation show. These 45 truly iconic works paint an electrifying portrait of this transformative period. These are works which have rarely been seen together, by artists ranging from Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe and Edward Hopper to Thomas Hart Benton, Philip Guston and more. Perhaps the most celebrated work of them all, Grant Wood's iconic American Gothic (1930), has never left North American shores before.
It was really vibrant, full of many different ages. Incredibly enjoyable and fun bringing the atmosphere of the exhibition to life.
Guest at RA Lates: Manhattan Swing, October 2016
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