The old town of Tammisaari (Ekenäs), where Schjerfbeck lived from 1925

RA Exhibitions

3 years ago

Exploring Finland in the footsteps of Helene Schjerfbeck

To coincide with our exhibition of works by Helene Schjerfbeck, Sam Phillips returned to the places the Finnish artist called home, and along the way saw what Finland’s art scene had to offer.

Artists

3 years ago

Travel: on the Bauhaus trail, from Weimar to Berlin

To mark 100 years of the legendary art school, Sam Phillips follows its fortunes from Weimar, via Dessau, to the German capital.

RA Exhibitions

> 5 years ago

Luc Tuymans on Brexit, Ensor and the establishment

Belgium’s leading contemporary painter, who curates the RA’s James Ensor exhibition, tells Sam Phillips why it is time to reassess Ensor’s art.

RA Recommends

> 5 years ago

What to see at Frieze 2016

From Assyrian sculpture to a recreation of an artist’s atelier, the RA’s Charles Saumarez Smith and Sam Phillips pick their favourite things at this year’s Frieze fairs in London.

RA Recommends

< 6 years ago

From Soho to sunshine: the Francis Bacon you never knew

We know him as the doyen of dingy 1960s Soho. But a major exhibition in Monaco reveals the British painter in a more Mediterranean light, showing how he drew inspiration from the French Riviera. The editor of RA Magazine takes a visit.

RA Recommends

> 6 years ago

Your A to Z guide to Frieze week

As an alphabet of art opens in London to coincide with the Frieze art fairs, we give you the ABC guide to the top shows to see.

RA Exhibitions

< 7 years ago

Ai of the tiger: Sam Phillips meets Ai Weiwei in his Beijing studio

Fearless and uncompromising, Ai Weiwei’s art challenges cultural values, confronts injustices and pushes materials to their limit. Sam Phillips talks to the artist about his show at the RA, which he was not expecting to be able to attend.

RA Recommends

7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 5 – 11 June

From live art performances directed by Lu Kemp to James Turrell’s high intensity illuminations at Houghton Hall, we guide you through this week’s top shows.

RA Recommends

7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 23 – 28 May

From international photography event Photo London to a Magna Carta tapestry by Cornelia Parker RA, we guide you through the week’s top art events.

8 St James’s Square by Eric Parry RA, with Stephen Cox RA’s two sculptures: an inscribed rail and a relief figure

Artists

7 years ago

Stephen Cox RA and Eric Parry RA: set in stone

Art and architecture combine on a corner of London’s St James’s, where Stephen Cox RA has integrated sculpture into Eric Parry RA’s building. Sam Phillips reports.

Bernhard Schobinger, Das Innere des Ausseren

RA Recommends

7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 8 – 15 May

From Sarah Lucas’s erotic sculptures at the Venice Biennale to Jeff Koons at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, we guide you through the week’s top art events.

Prunella Clough, Woman in a biscuit factory

RA Recommends

7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 15 – 22 April

From Prunella Clough’s beautiful industrial landscapes at Osborne Samuel to Modigliani’s figures at the Estorick Collection.

RA Recommends

7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 4 – 11 April

From political art at Nottingham Contemporary to Ravilious’s engravings in Dulwich, here are five shows to see this week.

Ilissos. Designed by Phidias, Athens, Greece, , Marble statue of a river god from the West pediment of the Parthenon.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 27 March – 3 April

From Greek sculptures at the British Museum to Helena Almeida’s inhabited drawings.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 21 – 28 March

From abstract paintings at the National Portrait Gallery to a British art sale at Sotheby’s.

Artists

> 7 years ago

Chantal Joffe: Me and my mentors

In the latest in our series on turning points in artists’ careers, Chantal Joffe RA tells Sam Phillips about the impact two teachers had on her work.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 6 – 13 March

From Impressionist paintings at The National Gallery to mixed media installations at Baltic.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 27 February – 6 March

From a kayak at The Barbican to sex shop objects at Transition Gallery.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 20 – 26 February

From sublime salt prints at Tate Britain to textile sculptures at the Hayward Gallery.

Two Huacos, found in the tomb of an Incan Nobleman from Chaplanca, Peru

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 6 – 12 February

From Peruvian Huacos and Japanese netsuke to the portraits of Marlene Dumas.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 30 January – 5 February

From haunting paintings at David Zwirner to an assemblage of ideas and images at Victoria Miro.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 23 – 29 January

From Christian Marclay’s return to White Cube to progressive paintings by RA alumni.

Adam Dant, The Budge Row Bibliotheque (detail i)

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 19 - 25 January

Walk the RA Recommends tour or visit the one-stop-shop that is the London Art Fair.

Michael Kidner, Column (no.2) in Front of its own Image

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 12 - 18 January

From an abundance of abstraction across London to impressionistic cityscapes of New York.

Artists

> 7 years ago

Diana Armfield RA on her art epiphany

As her husband’s health began to fail, painter Diana Armfield RA began to paint French and Italian scenes using sketches she had made during their travels.

Kazimir Malevich and Lyubov Popova, Painterly Architectonic

Opinion

> 7 years ago

Connecting 20th-century Scottish artists to a golden Russian cigarette case in six steps

Sam Phillips investigates the six degrees of separation between an Edinburgh garden and the influence of Pop art on Communist Russia.

Nye Thompson, Forensic reconstruction #00-23.7.6

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 5 – 11 December

From William Blake in Oxford to ‘the next big thing’ in Manchester.

Berlinde De Bruyckere, After Cripplewood I, 2013 - 2014

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 28 November – 4 December

From drawings of light at the Science Museum to animals under threat at the Old Sorting Office.

Chloe Dewe Matthews, From Shot at Dawn 2013

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 21 - 27 November

From Maggi Hambling’s expressive paintings of waves to a presentation of the photography of conflict at Tate Modern.

Installation view at the Royal Academy of Arts of Anselm Kiefer’s Morgenthau series, 2013

RA Exhibitions

> 7 years ago

How to read an Anselm Kiefer

Rich in both material and meaning, the powerful paintings of the German artist reward repeated viewing. We take a deeper look at ‘Black Flakes’, one of the works in the show.

David Titlow, Konrad Lars Hastings Titlow

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 14 - 20 November

From Scandinavian scenes of nature and a 1980s take on Russian geometric shapes to prize-winning portrait photography.

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 7 – 13 November

From Post-Impressionist views of British Columbia to ground-breaking design from the RCA.

William Blake’s cottage in in the seaside village of Felpham, West Sussex

Opinion

> 7 years ago

Urgent appeal to save William Blake’s cottage

The country has until 28 November to donate, if the Blake Society is to transform his seaside cottage into a permanent home for the artist-poet.

Frieze London 2014: Silberkuppe, Adam Linder (Live section)

Opinion

> 7 years ago

Performance art takes centre stage at Frieze London

Live art – a medium that grew out of opposition to the art market – now takes pride of place at this year’s Frieze London art fair.

Installation view of Gerhard Richter at Marian Goodman

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Frieze special: What not to miss this fortnight

RA Magazine’s Sam Phillips picks 20 of the best Frieze week openings and events.

Installation view of Ciara Phillips's 'Things Shared', 2014, at Tate Britain

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 3 – 9 October

From the Turner Prize shortlist at Tate Britain to the inaugural exhibition at White Rainbow Gallery, dedicated to Japanese art.

C.R.W. Nevinson, Returning to the Trenches

RA Recommends

> 7 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 28 September - 2 October

From C.R.W. Nevinson’s images of the First World War at Osborne Samuel London, to a new body of work from Kai Althoff at Michael Werner.

Cerith Wyn Evans, Installation view, Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 19 - 27 September

From fifteenth century China at the British Museum to Raqs Media Collective’s new exhibition at Frith Street Gallery.

Artists

< 8 years ago

David Remfry RA on the major turning point in his practice

A remarkable look into how a chance encounter in 1988 liberated the Academician’s painting practice.

Opinion

< 8 years ago

‘Beyond Limits’ at Chatsworth House

Academicians from Antony Gormley to Bill Woodrow are on display in Sotheby’s annual sculpture show at Chatsworth House.

Opinion

< 8 years ago

New books bring artists and writers together

A quick look at some of the new titles which draw on the connection between art and the written word.

Pierre Huyghe, video still from 'IN. BORDER. DEEP.', Hauser & Wirth London, 2014

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 5 – 11 September

From two very different exhibitions at Hauser & Wirth to coastline prints by Norman Ackroyd RA at Mall Galleries.

JMW Turner, Rain, Steam, and Speed - The Great Western Railway

Opinion

< 8 years ago

Connecting the English Romantic tradition with minimalist photography in six steps

Sam Phillips investigates the six degrees of separation between J.M.W. Turner RA and Hilla Becher’s architectural photography.

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 5 – 11 September

From an exhibition of the late works of JMW Turner RA at Tate Britain to 1930s fashion photography from Horst P. Horst.

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 1 - 7 August

From the beginnings of colour photography in Russia to the powerful and poetic portraits of artist Celia Paul.

Installation view of Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the Hunterian Museum

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 25 - 31 July

From a survey of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh at Glasgow’s Hunterian to the last days of shows from Sean Scully RA, Phyllida Barlow RA and more.

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 18 - 24 July

From marking the centenary of World War I at the Imperial War Museum to Salisbury Cathedral, where John Maine RA’s sculptures are set around the grounds.

Barbara Rae RA, Painting from the series ‘Rebozo’

Artists

< 8 years ago

The fruits of Barbara Rae RA’s recent travels go on display

The vibrant colours and traditional textiles of Mexico have weaved their way into the painter’s recent ‘Rebozo’ series.

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 11 - 17 July

From Dottori’s Futurist landscapes at the Estorick Collection to Raven Row, where dancers perform the pioneering works of Yvonne Rainer.

, Sigmar Polke and Gerhard Richter - In the bathtub

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick this week’s art events: 4 - 10 July

From a showcase of Mayfair galleries to the blurred lines of painting and photography by Gerhard Richter and Sigmar Polke.

Minimaforms, Theodore Spyropoulos and Stephen Spyropoulos, Petting Zoo

RA Recommends

< 8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 27 June - 3 July

From Quentin Blake’s whimsical illustrations to Matthew Barney’s surreal films.

Chair of the Friends board of Trustees, Denise Wilson.

Inside the Academy

8 years ago

Your friend in high places

Chair of the Friends Board of Trustees Denise Wilson talks to Sam Phillips about her role at the Academy.

Fred Cuming RA, Walk on the Beach, Full Moon

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 20 - 26 June

From the NPG’s annual BP Portrait Award to Academician Fred Cuming’s serene seascapes.

Mondrian in his Paris studio in 1933 with Lozenge Composition with Four Yellow Lines, 1933 and Composition with Double Lines and Yellow, 1933.

Opinion

8 years ago

Mondrian squared

Two shows shine a new light on the Dutch modern master’s work.

From left: Daniel Lipp, Aimee Parrott, Brian Griffiths, Marisa J. Futernick, Ellen Macdonald and Julie Born Schwartz, Coco Crampton, Phyllida Barlow RA, Alex Clarke, Ariane Schick, Gabriel Stones, Alice Theobold, Alex Chase White (seated), Hannah Perry, P

RA Exhibitions

8 years ago

RA Schools students discuss their upcoming final show

As students from the RA Schools prepare for their final show, what are their feelings about leaving after three intensive years of study? Some of them discuss the issues they face with Schools tutor Brian Griffiths and Phyllida Barlow RA, who has been involved in art education for 45 years.

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 30 May - 5 June

From ‘the Picasso of India’ to Royal Academician Richard Wilson at the Whitstable Biennale.

Installation view, 'Phyllida Barlow. Fifty Years of Drawings', Hauser & Wirth, London, England, 2014

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 23 - 29 May

From Lucian Freud’s superb collection of Frank Auerbach works to a survey of recent American abstract art.

Terry Setch RA walks in front of the cliffs of Penarth Beach in South Wales, where he gathers the materials for his paintings

Artists

8 years ago

Sam Phillips meets Terry Setch RA

Continuing our series on artists’ epiphanies, Sam Phillips visits the Welsh beach that transformed Setch’s art.

Richard Smith, Untitled II (Rose Pink Squares)

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 16 - 22 May

From everyday design to the painterly abstraction of Richard Smith’s works on paper.

Opinion

8 years ago

Walter Sickert on stage at the Royal Opera House

Liam Scarlett’s contemporary ballet ‘Sweet Violets’ puts Walter Sickert RA’s fascination with murder centre stage.

Saskia Olde Wolbers, Yes, these Eyes are the Windows

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Our pick of this week’s art events: 2 - 8 May

From the latest Artangel commission to the history of British comics.

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Chris Marker, British Surrealism and a last chance to catch Turner and the Sea

From experimental films to Turner’s seascapes, everything worth seeing in the world of art this week.

Installation view of Valerie Snobeck at Simon Lee Gallery.

Opinion

8 years ago

Valerie Snobeck at Simon Lee

We visited the Valerie Snobeck exhibition at Simon Lee Gallery, where a new series of the American artist’s ‘peels’ are on display.

Installation view of Djordje Ozbolt at Herald St London

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Alan Davie RA, totemic structures and Titian’s ghost found at Ham House

From the early works of Alan Davie RA to Pop-inspired sculpture, everything worth seeing in the world of art this week.

Michael Craig-Martin RA, Objects of our Time – Memory Stick

RA Recommends

8 years ago

Lorna Simpson, Michael Craig-Martin and contortionist office workers

From Lorna Simpson’s photographic explorations of gender and race to hallucinogenic visions of deserts and streetscapes; everything worth seeing this week.

RA Recommends

> 8 years ago

Cézanne, a survey of contemporary painting practice and Veronese at the National Gallery

From the political cartoons of Abdul Raheem Yassir to Venetian Old Masters; everything worth seeing in the world of art this week.

Günter Brus, Selbstbemalung 1 (Handbemalung-Kopfemalung-kofzumalung) (Self-Painting 1[Hand painting – Head Painting – Total Head Painting])

RA Recommends

> 8 years ago

Viennese Actionism, Haim Steinbach at the Serpentine and an Academician abroad

From ‘60s performance art to scenes of everyday life in New York; everything worth seeing in the world of art this week.

RA Exhibitions

> 8 years ago

Seeing scents

Fragrance designer Jo Malone has a nose for architecture as well as scent, as we discovered on a visit Kengo Kuma’s aromatic installation in our ‘Sensing Spaces’ exhibition.