Summer Exhibition 2022

Varied exhibition at the Royal Academy for this regular summer tradition.

It’s always hard to review this show as it is such a mix. I get CLIMATE was its theme but it was a bit heavy handed and it would have been nice to see other issues given more space. Part of the joy of the show is that it’s a general unthemed entry.

This year was beautifully hung particularly Greyson Perry’s two brightly coloured rooms.

Highlights included the giant bejewelled rotten lemon by Kathleen Ryan. It was just a shame it was in a doorway as everyone was stopping to take a photo and causing a jam. I liked a watercolour of the Grand Canyon surrounded by rock samples and maps by Tony Foster, Kiki Smith’s impactful tapestry, charming works by Andrew Cranston on book covers and Ken Howard’s picture of the fish market in Venice.

I think the pictures I’ve used here are “Meera and Sanjeev” by Sarah Sharma which was large and stunning and a hyperreal picture of ice creams by Lyle Perkins.

Closes 21 August 2022


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