The project was in response to the timely restoration of La Muta a painting by the artist Raphael executed during 1507 – 1508.
The project was in collaboration with the Accademia di belle Arti in Urbino, Italy, the birth place of Raphael and where the painting was installed during the exhibition of students from Accademia di belle Arti, and the RCA Painting and Fashion programmes.
Prof David Rayson worked closely with the Accademia di belle Arti and the trustees of the restored Painting in setting the research brief for the students, and working with Prof Zowie Broach head of RCA Fashion, selected students and works from the RCA’s Painting and Fashion programmes, selecting three students from each programme.
A resulting residency, install period and exhibition were organized, with a resulting publication with Italian/English text. The text included writing from Prof David Rayson, Prof Zowie Broach, Professors from the Accademia di belle Arti, and all the participating students.
The research focused upon the historic and contemporary domains of the portrait. This generated new art works in response to the research which spanned various mediums and individual artistic positions ranging from painting, installation and interactive media.
The project also fostered collaborative exchanges between the six students from the Accademia di belle Arti and the RCA during each stage including the short residency, and the curatorial decisions around the exhibition installation.