Gallery VII

David Mach RA, 'Silver Streak' Photo: John Bodkin/DawkinsColour A spectacular sculpture called Silver Streak (right) presides over this gallery, which was hung by John Wragg. The work of David Mach, and made of coathangers, it is a King Kong-style monster roaring and beating his chest with aggressive pride. It could hardly be more different in style and mood from the statues by Tom Price, a young black artist whose naked bronze figures are much admired by Wragg: ‘They’re so honest, and that’s really special.’

Another sculptor, Bryan Kneale, is represented by some powerful drawings of cormorant heads. And Denise de Cordova shows a sculpture of a bird perched on two wooden boxes bearing the words TRUE GRIT.

Bill Woodrow’s arresting Revelator 5 dramatises the plight of a bearded man trapped helplessly in a labyrinth of branches that cover his eyes. Woodrow heightens the drama even more by placing this work on a startling orange base.

Elsewhere in the room, Kenneth Draper’s cluster of six mixed-media works concentrate on dreamy images that haunt the imagination; one of them is called Past Midnight. Michael Sandle also makes a forceful impact, not only with his wall reliefs, but also with four drawings. They ascend towards the ceiling, one placed above another, and focus on grim military themes. One shows a dead soldier,whose body appears to have replaced a gun barrel in a destroyed battery. But there is memorable humour in this room as well as a timely sense of alarm. John Cobb’s wood sculpture is called,with wry irony, We Are All Domed.

• Royal Academy of Arts