by Liv Kessler
cover image illustrated by Charlie To
Once you’ve hit the National gallery, The Tate Modern and the British Museum, where do you go? What unites all cultural fanatics is the unquenchable thirst for new things to see and explore. In this recurring feature, I offer my personal favourites for those who want to go beyond the beaten path.
First up, The Royal Academy of Arts.
Though their permanent collection is pretty underwhelming, focused more on the history of the Academy itself, the exhibits are always stunning. The Francis Bacon exhibit last year was particularly terrifying. A mix of inhuman shapes and faces with hints of red where a mouth should be. This haunted me for weeks after and made me rethink my concept of art as a product of beauty.
The crown jewel of the RA (affectionate surname of the Royal Academy for those in the know), is its Summer Exhibit. If you are feeling a little too corporate during your Summer Internship, this will feel like an artistic release. You could spend hours strolling through the eleven rooms of the exhibits and never see it all. Artists appointed by the Royal Academy Walls are each given a room in which to curate and expose their favourite pieces of contemporary art. This exhibit becomes a celebration of the vibrancy of contemporary art and culture, and also acts as an auction for the pieces, with each red dot representing a purchase. The intersection of art and commerce is never more obvious than when you start searching for those little red dots.
I went four times last year and needless to say, it wasn’t enough. My recommendation? Get a yearly pass with a friend for £60. You have unlimited access to all exhibits, can bring a free plus one, and get a 5% discount at the museum shop.
