Peter Randall-Page exhibits at Castle Drogo

This summer, Castle Drogo is exhibiting a collection of prints, drawings and sculptures by Royal Academician Peter Randall-Page.

The prints and drawings focus on observations of the natural world and include delicate linocuts of botanical and animal subjects. Recent prints such as Honeysuckle, Fig Tree, Spiders and Frogs are shown alongside Peter’s early studies of exquisite seed pods.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is Randall-Page’s 7m wide ‘Rorschach Screen’ with its mirror image panels of drawings that reference the bi-lateral symmetry of Rorschach ink blots. Peter says: ‘...we live in a universe with a strong propensity for symmetry and bilateral symmetry is of particular significance for human beings. Rorschach Screen has the spirit of inventiveness while working within the constraints of a grid.

‘This way of working has developed out of my interest in the way nature seems to exist in dynamic tension between a tendency towards order and a tendency towards chaos. I like the way this tricks the eye, the symmetry is both evident and hidden while the line is both meandering and constrained.’

The collection of two-dimensional work accompanies Peter Randall-Page’s large scale sculptures ‘Fructus, Corpus and Phyllotaxus’ which are currently on view in the grounds of the Castle. They are carved from Kilkenny limestone, a sedimentary stone formed in coastal areas over millions of years teeming with fossilised remains of plant and animal life giving the material its characteristic appearance.

The prints and drawings are available to view every day from Friday 11 May-Sunday 4 November. The Rorschach screen is only available to view on selected days (please check the website or call ahead to check opening times). The sculptures are available to view every day until the end of August.