Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts

On June 17, the Royal Academy of Arts opens its annual Summer Exhibition, a tradition held since 1769. More than 1,700 remarkable works will be on display for audiences worldwide, presented in a carefully curated exhibition where the contemporary meets the timeless, and the personal intersects with the global. The show features a diverse collection of works by contemporary artists, including prints, paintings, video art, photography, sculpture, and architectural pieces. This year’s exhibition is curated by architect Farshid Moussavi and her committee. They have chosen the theme “Dialogues” — not merely a conversation between works of art but a profound interaction of genres, generations, and ideas. Afisha.London has already visited the exhibition and shares the insights.

This article is also available in Russian here

The 2025 exhibition delights with a particular sense of lightness. Humour — subtle though it may be — is found in nearly every room. From burned logs to golden rats, a spirit of festivity and playfulness balances the seriousness of many works. Visitors will see giant inflatable spheres by Ryan Gander, suspended textile ink drawings by Tamara Kostianovsky, paintings by Tracey Emin, and much more. Also featured is a vase by artist Grayson Perry, whose solo exhibition we reviewed earlier on. “Dialogues” come to life through curation and at the heart of the exhibition itself — as a dynamic interaction between artist and viewer, the elevated and the intimate, refinement and play.

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One of the exhibition’s most powerful works is “The Crucifixion” by Tracey Emin — a searing, almost naked expression of pain, more personal confession than religious gesture. Critics have already compared its raw intensity and painterly style to the work of Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon. The symbol-laden painting evokes a profound emotional response.

Read also: What to see in London this summer: top exhibitions of 2025

Also worth noting are pieces by Cindy Sherman, George Shaw, and Cornelia Parker — each communicating in its own voice and touching on themes ranging from politics and ecology to humour and nostalgia. Almost all works at the exhibition are available for purchase. Proceeds support the artists and the Academy’s educational initiatives, including its unique, tuition-free postgraduate art program — the only one of its kind in Europe.

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The Summer Exhibition is more than an annual showcase of contemporary art. It is an open forum where everyone — artist, viewer, or passerby — can be heard. Year after year, it proves that art can still be accessible, engaging, and essential.

The exhibition runs at the Royal Academy of Arts from June 17 to August 17, 2025.

Cover Photo: Afisha.London

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