Exhibition of work like lottery win, young artist says

An 18-year-old artist from Kent has described having his first exhibited work hanging at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) as "like winning the lottery".

Zachariah Burton's painting of a disused bingo hall in his home town of Chatham is featured in the RA's Young Artists' Summer Show, on display at Burlington House in London until the end of August.

The painting, entitled Maggie's Den, is a study of urban decay which highlights how much "wasted space and potential" there is on the county's high streets, Burton said.

"Authors get told to write what they know, so I decided to paint where I grew up," he added.

The exhibition is in its eighth year and displays the creative talents of those aged between four and 18.

More than 25,000 students participated this year, according to the RA, with people able to vote for their favourite.

"I applied to take part about six months ago and couldn't believe it when I got an email back," Burton said.

He told BBC Radio Kent that he had been into art since a young age.

"I was amazed to have been chosen to feature in the actual physical exhibition, which is a bit like winning the lottery given how many apply," he added.

Burton said that his chosen painting was named after the traditional bingo call whenever the number 10 ball is drawn – itself a reference to Margaret Thatcher's Downing Street address during her tenure as Prime Minister.

"Growing up in Chatham, I came to see it as a bit of ghost town, and the bingo hall seemed to symbolise that," Burton, who is to attend at the Medway School of Art in September, said.

"One time, ordinary working people would have flocked there at the weekends, but it's just a void now."

He added that while "a lot of people paint things like beautiful sunsets, I think more should try to paint the real world around them".

"There's also an abandoned pound shop on Chatham High Street, which is graffitied and has half its sign missing," he added.

"I'd really like to paint that next."

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