Summer Exhibition 2008
9 June – 17 August 2008
Sponsored by 
Information for artists who have entered
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition is the largest open contemporary art exhibition in the world, drawing together a wide range of new work by both established and unknown living artists.
Summer Exhibition 2007: Installation view of the Lecture Room Photograph by FXP and John Riddy
Held annually since the Royal Academy’s foundation in 1768, the Summer Exhibition is a unique showcase for art of all styles and media, encompassing paintings, sculpture, prints and architectural models. An essential part of the London art calendar, the show drew over 150,000 visitors in 2007. Following long Academy tradition, the exhibition is curated by an annually rotating committee whose members are all practising artists. The majority of works are for sale. Any artist may enter work for selection.
The Committee gathers to view works which are passed on front of it by a human chain of art handlers. This process reduces over 11,000 submissions (including works by Royal Academicians) to a number closer to 2,000 which then have to go through a more rigorous selection procession. Metal wands, one surmounted by a letter 'D', the other by a more ominous letter 'X', have survived from the Academy's earliest days. A work which receives the vote of 3 or more Academicians is awarded a 'D' for 'Doubtful' and goes through to the next round of selection. Works which get the 'X' are returned to the store to be collected by the artist. The second round of selection reduces 2,500 potential exhibits to something closer to 1,200. The next step is hanging the exhibition.
With 1,200 works to be displayed the amount of visible wall and floor space can diminish rapidly during the two weeks it usually takes to hang the entire exhibition. The final effect can be startling for visitors who are used to seeing art hung more sparsely. Some Academicians, notably Peter Blake RA, have even filled the galleries with as many art works as possible, playing with visitors' expectations, and creating a particular frisson in the galleries. Regardless of how many works are exhibited in any one gallery — and it does vary — a lot of effort goes into creating an engaging environment in which each work is shown to best possible advantage. Moving a work can upset the dynamic in an entire gallery and require days of rehanging to achieve a new balance.
Sponsor’s statement
Now entering our third year as title sponsor of the Summer Exhibition, Insight Investment is delighted to be associated with the innovation and creativity for which the event is renowned. Insight Investment was launched in September 2002 and is already one of the UK’s largest investment managers with £109 billion assets under management as at 31st December 2007. We manage funds for institutional and retail clients across a range of asset types including equities, bonds, derivatives and alternatives, with the aim of providing precise investment solutions to meet our clients’ investment needs. As the asset manager of HBOS plc, our parentage brings the benefits of strategic strength provided by one of the largest banks in Europe.
