June | Art & Culture
Summer Exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts
Discover and buy from more than 1,600 works, including Richard Malone's dramatic mobile installation, at the RA's annual contemporary art rendez-vous
Morgane NyfelerOur favourite culture highlight of the summer is back and once again promises to be a feast for the eyes as well as a welcome oasis from the scorching city heat. As the world’s largest open submission art show, the Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition is the destination for contemporary art aficionados to discover and buy works from emerging and established artists, ranging from painting to photography, sculpture to architecture. For this 255th edition, British artist David Remfry RA has co-ordinated the exhibition, exploring the theme of ‘Only Connect’ inspired by a quote from the 1910 novel ‘Howards End’ by E.M. Forster.
Installation view of the Summer Exhibition 2023 at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, 13 June - 20 August 2023. Photo: © Royal Academy of Arts, London / David Parry.
While the gallery’s walls disappear under hundreds of public submissions and works by renown Royal Academicians including Frank Bowling, Tracey Emin, Pipilotti Rist and Kiki Smith, our attention naturally gravitates towards the mobile installation by Irish fashion designer Richard Malone, which dramatically hangs in the Central Hall, bridging fashion and sculpture as swathes of blue pleated fabric seem to be floating in the air. You can easily spend hours exploring the jam-packed rooms and bet on who will become the next big name in contemporary art.
Installation view of the Summer Exhibition 2023 at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, 13 June - 20 August 2023. Photo: © Royal Academy of Arts, London / David Parry.
Summer Exhibition 2023, Royal Academy of Arts, London, from 13 June to 20 August 2023