HIDDEN 2023: celebrating the creative talents of technical and non-academic staff at the Royal College of Art

HIDDEN 2023 will provide a platform to champion the passion and skill of over 70 non-academic staff members who are also practising artists and creatives. From workshop technicians to librarians, I.T support technologists to security staff, this exhibition highlights the often unseen skills and technical knowledge of the people who support the students at the RCA.

From a bespoke 1930s hot rod car to a fully immersive A/V installation, the exhibition will feature an eclectic mix of works in various media, including painting, animation, sculpture, photography, film, book design, theatrical backdrops, textiles, fashion, jewellery, drawing, print, ceramics, and glass. This is a unique opportunity to experience the creative output of staff who have been informed and shaped by working in the vibrant and creative atmosphere of the RCA.

Gabriel Mansfield is a multidisciplinary artist who, for the past decade, has been committed to only using repurposed material to create artworks that spark a sense of innate curiosity. His current project ‘Hunter, Gatherer, Sculptor’ consists of a growing family of miniature sculptures made entirely from objects found whilst walking his dog - a selection of which is on display at HIDDEN. Gabriel graduated from the Sculpture programme at the RCA and now works on campus as a Multidisciplinary Technical Instructor.

Artist Charlotte Raymen paints oil paintings of compelling compositions. At HIDDEN she will be presenting a portrait she began painting in Lockdown 2020 of her flatmate Natasha Msanide reading in the garden. Charlotte teaches staff and students at the RCA to use digital virtual reality mediums as well as managing the motion capture studio and XR Spaces.

Cast glass artist Livvy Fink is an RCA alumna and Technical Instructor in Ceramics and Glass. For HIDDEN, Livvy will be presenting a glass work where the space inside the glass is created whilst molten and moving, forming an unfamiliar landscape that questions our sense of scale.

RCA photographer and filmmaker Chris Lee will be exhibiting Cyanotypes from a series created during the pandemic, which marks a time when he was able to slow down and connect with nature. Chris uses the medium of photography to dissect reality and create new stories.