Articles
Creative Wisdom
The Royal Academy is first and foremost a collection of artists. We’ve asked the artists at the heart of the RA – our Academicians, Summer Exhibition artists and students – to share their maxims, experiences and rules to live by: creative wisdom.
Artists
12 months ago
Conrad Shawcross: “For the first time I see the political potential in my work”
With his new 16-metre installation suspended above commuters at St Pancras International, London-born sculptor Conrad Shawcross talks activism, optical illusions and why he likes a bit of trapeze.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
How I got into the Summer Exhibition
Every year there are around 13,000 public entries to the Summer Exhibition, with about 700 making it through to hang in the galleries. We asked 2016’s selected artists to share their creative secrets.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Ai Weiwei’s rules for life and art
With a promise never to be silenced, China’s most famous artist has become known for his pithy, poetic words on freedom and creativity. We share 21 Weiwei-isms.
Artists
< 3 years ago
How to get into the Summer Exhibition? Try this advice
We asked the artists selected for this year’s Summer Exhibition to share their secrets, and tell us their personal rules for making art. Here’s what they said.
Inside the Academy
3 years ago
Five quick tips to improve your life-drawing
The RA Schools’ Head of Sculpture and Printmaking led a life-drawing masterclass as part of our first Friends week. Here he shares five key pieces of advice.
Artists
3 years ago
Michael Craig-Martin RA: advice for an aspiring artist
In an extract from his new book, the Royal Academician who nurtured talents including Gary Hume, Sarah Lucas and Damien Hirst offers his insights into how to get on in art and the art world.
Artists
3 years ago
10 minutes with… Michael Landy RA
Each month we catch up with a different Royal Academician. This month, here’s Michael Landy RA on destroying his work, being afraid of Tracey Emin and why young artists need a thick skin.
Artists
3 years ago
Hughie O’Donoghue RA: “painting is archaeology in reverse”
The Royal Academician explains how the nature of memory and a sense of place are driving forces in his latest series of paintings.
Opinion
3 years ago
10 game-changing art manifestos
We’ve heard the party manifestos – now let’s take a look at the ones that shook up the art world, from Sir Joshua Reynolds to the Guerilla Girls.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Notes to myself: Diebenkorn’s 10 rules for painting
Sometime in his later career, Diebenkorn wrote down ten points of artistic intention. Sharing them here, we also begin a new series of notes, asking artists to share their own creative wisdom.