REVIEW | Summer Exhibition 2024 – Royal Academy of Arts

I usually have quite low expectations about the Royal Academy of Art’s annual Summer Exhibition, but this iteration has managed to feel new and exciting for the first time in 10 years.

Several new forms of display have been incorporated in what has traditionally been a mind-boggling salon hang with pictures packed along every inch of wall space.

In the Large Weston Room curated by Cornelia Parker, three freestanding displays have been added to maximise the number of framed works that could be seen at eye level, enabling closer appreciation of the textures and details of certain prints and smaller pictures. It’s a fun, practical way to shake up this room, which in previous editions has typically had a stronger sculptural presence.

One of the biggest differences lies in Room III. Curated by Ann Christopher, the hang is noticeably spacious, occupied by huge works and delicate groupings. This room has typically served as a kind of spectacle for (again) salon hangs against brightly coloured walls, so this less-is-more approach is extremely refreshing.

Of course, the salon hangs will always remain a staple of the Summer Exhibition, and Anne Desmet has done an exceptionally good job of arranging hundreds of prints across Rooms VII and VIII.

Another impressive highlight is usually the Architecture section, which appears to have been pared down this year and looks radically different from previous years. I would describe it as resembling the shelves of a hardware store. Instead of small intricate models, we are instead presented with much larger architectural models than normal. I’m ambivalent about this new display, but I think the new options have potential.

Finally, I was delighted to find the Lecture Room (curated by Veronica Ryan) actually filled to the brim. It has always felt like an afterthought in the show, but this year it feels like a major player. I cannot begin to describe the amazing variety of materials, themes, and subject matter being shown to great effect.