Above: French Connection by Brian Oxley

As usual, there’s just so much to see and this hang has been a DENSE hang! There are 1600 works on show. And it’s simply fun to cruise the galleries, gaze, ponder and generally peer at the work. Some pieces jump out, others fit well with the subtle background colour. There are themes of faces, places, people, issues, monochrome, great colour, animals, vegetables…. and lots of abstract. I really enjoy seeing the rich mix of styles and subjects on offer.

Above: Sisters Maud and Mabel by Elaine Preece Stanley Anarchy in the UK push pins wood and foam by David Mach RA and

It’s always great to see the work of friends on the walls and this year I was thrilled to see familiar names listed in the catalogue and see their work looking splendid amongst other pieces. Here are a couple of the ones I spotted. The excellent abstract is by Francesca Simon and the charming print with two vases is by Jacki Baxter.

Above, centre: Check 8 Francesca Simon and The Discussion by Jacki Baxter

I approved of the way the works had been chosen to create a really cohesive hang. It’s eye-catching to see the the different styles of work really sing against a well-considered wall colour. Royal Academicians are always well represented and some have large expanses of wall to show work but many can be found nestling in amongst works by unknown artists and they really complement each other.

Above: Studio Toilet, Right Cubical by A. Lincoln Taber, Selection of prints by Sir Peter Cook RA, Family by Jill Leman, She Became by Sabrina Shah, Bacchanal by Paul Dash and The Punic Emojis in Glass, 2,3 and 1 by Stephen Farthing RA I was taken by the narrative element of many of these works. There’s nothing like seeing a story within a picture.

Above: Went to see the Gypsy by Jill Eisele, Interval 1 by Sheila Wallis, Homework by Martin Ridgwell

And this was an odd one. It’s a sculpture of a cat, a rather battered cat can be seen to breathe and sort of twitch. A bit unsettling at first and then you rather warm to the poor creature and want to stroke it. It has the title: Rest in Pieces, or the Squatters (Charlie meet Hammons’ untitled (Night Train) (1989) made of wood, latex, resin, synthetic fur, paint and animatronics by Ryan Gander RA. Yours for £66,000!

The 2023 Summer Exhibition opens on 13th June and runs until 20th August at the Royal Academy, Piccadilly, London #SummerExhibition #royalacademyarts