The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition… Closing Soon

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

8 June-16 August 2015

The largest open submission exhibition in the world

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Held without interruption since 1769, the Summer Exhibition displays works in a variety of mediums and genres by emerging and established contemporary artists.

The works are selected and hung by Royal Academicians, and entry is open to all artists.
In 2013, nearly 70% of the exhibits were by non-Academicians, £70,000 worth of prizes was awarded and over 5,000 works were sold.
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An unusual mix of celebrities –  Una Stubbs by Grayson and Measles, Harry Hill by Damien Hirst and Simon Cowell by Jenny Samtula
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The staircase and the Central Hall are alive with colour, enticing the visitor in.
Dominating the Central Hall is Matthew Darbyshire’s  Captcha No.11 (Doryphoros)  with Liam Gillick’s Applied Projection Ring.
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Grayson Perry’s amazing supersized tapestry, Julia and Rob.
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Jim Lambie’s kaleidoscopic stairs lead you up to the Main Galleries

 

At one time the show was known simply as ‘The Exhibition’, where the likes of Gainsborough and Reynolds, Turner and Constable sharpened their skills against each other.

Nowadays, although there’s a plethora of art fairs, commercial galleries and contemporary exhibitions to choose from, the galleries at Burlington House make an unrivalled setting for artists to display and sell their artworks.

For all of the works displayed, the artist is the seller of the work and the Academy takes a 30% commission on all ‘Offers to Purchase’, the proceeds going towards the RA Schools and their diverse programme of exhibitions.

The array of works and the celebratory atmosphere of the exhibition make for an unique experience where visitors can browse, buy and discuss the works on show.