Articles
Videos
From artist interviews to curator-led tours of our exhibitions, catch up on our latest online videos.
RA Exhibitions
18 days ago
Summer Exhibition 2022: two-minute tour
Take a quick trip through the 1,500 works on display in this year’s climate-themed show.
RA Exhibitions
1 month ago
The Artists of the Summer Exhibition 2022
Meet some of the artists from this year’s show and find out more about their work and their feelings on the theme of Climate.
RA Exhibitions
3 months ago
Introducing our 2023 exhibitions
From rare treasures created in Spain and the Hispanic world, to re-performances of Marina Abramović’s best-known works, our 2023 programme gives everyone something to look forward to.
Artists
3 months ago
How to: make a character house
Instead of throwing cereal containers and milk cartons away, use them to make a miniature house with character.
RA Exhibitions
4 months ago
Frogs and Fart Battles: Kyōsai in 60 seconds
Meet one of the most exciting Japanese painters of the 19th century.
RA Exhibitions
4 months ago
Francis Bacon: “I’m always labelled with horror”
Listen to Francis Bacon talk about how he paints and how his images form.
RA Exhibitions
5 months ago
Who was Whistler’s Woman in White?
Take a tour of the exhibition ‘Whistler’s Woman in White: Joanna Hiffernan’ with its curators, and delve into the life of the artist’s principal model.
RA Exhibitions
5 months ago
Inside ‘Francis Bacon: Man and Beast’ with co-curator, Michael Peppiatt
We spoke to Francis Bacon’s friend, Michael Peppiatt, about the exhibition ‘Man and Beast’ and how Bacon’s vision of humanity was shaped by his interest in animals.
Artists
8 months ago
How to: paint with words like Patrick Moses
Try making a painting inspired by words like Summer Exhibition 2021 artist Patrick Moses.
RA Exhibitions
8 months ago
Late Constable Tour with Curator Anne Lyles
Explore the exhibition of late works by one of Britain’s best-loved artists.
RA Exhibitions
8 months ago
Documentary: inside ‘Gauguin and the Impressionists’ exhibition
Our sold-out exhibition, ‘Gauguin and The Impressionists’, makes its big screen debut this winter thanks to our friends at ‘Exhibition on Screen’. Experience the show from home with this exclusive 10-minute clip, featuring curator Anna Ferrari and Secretary and Chief Executive, Axel Rüger.
RA Exhibitions
8 months ago
Video: Annette Fernando at the Summer Exhibition 2021
Annette Fernando – a first-time exhibitor at the Summer Exhibition – talks us through her work, ‘Stop being so damn understanding’ which is so intricate, it’s often mistaken for a photo.
RA Exhibitions
9 months ago
Light Lines Tour with Hélène Binet
Explore the exhibition of stunning architectural photographs.
RA Exhibitions
9 months ago
The Artists of the Summer Exhibition 2021
Meet some of the artists on show at the Summer Exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
9 months ago
Summer Exhibition 2021 Tour with Yinka Shonibare RA
Explore our most diverse and inclusive Summer Exhibition ever.
RA Exhibitions
9 months ago
Harry Hill at the Summer Exhibition 2021
Comedian and amateur artist Harry Hill talks us through his artworks at the Summer Exhibition 2021.
RA Exhibitions
10 months ago
Step inside Hélène Binet’s London studio
We meet the photographer in her studio to discuss her upcoming exhibition ‘Light Lines’, her love of music, and her ability to ‘draw’ with light.
RA Exhibitions
11 months ago
Inside the Summer Exhibition 2021 with Yinka Shonibare RA
Summer Exhibition coordinator Yinka Shonibare RA explains his vision for this year’s show
RA Exhibitions
11 months ago
Video: painting on Lubugo bark cloth
Artist Michael Armitage paints on a material called Lubugo, which is made by the Baganda people of southern Uganda. Discover how Lubugo’s crafted, and how Armitage incorporates its imperfections into his work.
RA Exhibitions
1 year ago
Meet the artists in the Young Artists’ Summer Show
Get to know the inspiring artists of tomorrow as we take a look around this year’s Young Artists’ Summer Show.
RA Exhibitions
1 year ago
Virtual tour: Michael Armitage, Paradise Edict
Can’t visit the RA right now? Explore the colourful, dreamlike works of Kenya-born artist Michael Armitage from your sofa, in our latest virtual tour.
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: drawing into the abstract
Join Emyr Williams for a workshop in how to create your own abstract drawings
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: experimenting with the figure
Join artist Jake Garfield for this fun and informal life drawing session
Artists
1 year ago
How to: design a greenhouse
Experiment with making miniature architectural models using just toothpicks and plasticine.
RA Exhibitions
1 year ago
Inside the exhibition: ‘Michael Armitage: Paradise Edict’
Join Michael Armitage as he introduces his works exploring paradise, the 2017 Kenyan Elections and a selection of East African artists who have informed his own practice.
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: drawing as exploration
Discover repetition and transformation in this workshop with Elinor Stanley
RA Exhibitions
1 year ago
Video: David Hockney on his celebration of spring
With David Hockney’s joyful exhibition of spring works filling our galleries – but the artist back at home in his Normandy studio – curator Edith Devaney catches up with him from the RA, pandemic-style.
RA Exhibitions
1 year ago
Virtual tour: David Hockney, ‘The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020’
If you haven’t been able to visit our David Hockney exhibition in person, here’s your chance to experience it from home. Make a calming cup of tea, press play, and enjoy the arrival of spring through Hockney’s eyes.
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: botanical drawing
Join Laxmi Hussain for a guided workshop in drawing botanics
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: anatomy drawing
Learn all about anatomy drawing with our online Saturday Sketch Club
Artists
1 year ago
How to: make tempera paint
Have a go at making your own paint with eggs, make-up, spices and chalk.
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: collage
Join us for a class in collage with artist Sahra Hersi – all you need is paper, glue and scissors
Artists
1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: life drawing
Take a lesson in life drawing from Andy Pankhurst in week two of our online Saturday Sketch Club
RA Exhibitions
1 year ago
Introducing three artists in ‘Michael Armitage: Paradise Edict’
Artists Sane Wadu, Elimo Njau and Asaph Ng‘ethe Macua have played an important role in shaping figurative painting in Kenya – they have also had a profound impact on Armitage’s own artistic development. Learn more about these artists in our short video series.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Saturday Sketch Club: still life
Catch up on the first of our online Saturday Sketch Clubs, focusing on still life drawing with Mark Hampson
Our Collection
> 1 year ago
A slow look: Yinka Shonibare’s ‘Cheeky Little Astronomer’
Take ten minutes to meditate as we guide you through a slow, mindful look at Yinka Shonibare RA’s sculpture.
Artists
> 1 year ago
How to: make paper
Learn how to make your own paper from scratch using a photo frame, a pair of old tights and scrap paper.
Our Collection
> 1 year ago
A slow look: Oriana Reinagle’s ‘Study of trees’
Enjoy five blissful minutes of mindfulness and art with this guided meditation.
Our Collection
> 1 year ago
A slow look: John Aldridge’s ‘Artichokes and Cathay Quinces’
Take ten minutes to meditate as we mindfully guide you through John Aldrige’s still life painting ‘Artichokes and Cathay Quinces’.
Our Collection
> 1 year ago
A slow look: Rodney Burn’s ‘Bracklesham Sands’
Spend 10 mindful minutes on a guided meditation through the details of Rodney Burn RA’s ‘Bracklesham Sands’.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Family how-to: multicolour projectors
Follow these instructions to create your own light installation at home, using a simple DIY projector.
Our Collection
> 1 year ago
In 60 seconds: Waterhouse’s ‘A Mermaid’
Spend 60 seconds exploring the dark mythology behind John William Waterhouse RA’s ‘A Mermaid’.
RA Exhibitions
> 1 year ago
Virtual tour – Tracey Emin / Edvard Munch: The Loneliness of the Soul
Explore the dark territories and raw emotions distilled in the artworks of Tracey Emin and Edvard Munch in this virtual tour of our landmark exhibition.
Inside the Academy
> 1 year ago
Life drawing with Romeo the pony
Two legs good, four legs better? Grab your pencils and sketch this tiny pony in two short poses from our 2019 event #LifeDrawingLive: the anatomy class.
RA Exhibitions
> 1 year ago
In 60 seconds: Lisa Wright’s ‘Porcelain Gaze’
From Thetford forest to the Medici Venus, unmask the influences behind the work of painter and sculptor, Lisa Wright.
Inside the Academy
> 1 year ago
Seasons greetings from the RA
From locking down to looking forward: join President Rebecca Salter and Axel Rüger, Secretary and Chief Executive, for a holiday message from the Academicians’ Room.
RA Exhibitions
> 1 year ago
Inside the exhibition: ‘Tracey Emin / Edvard Munch: The Loneliness of the Soul’
Join Tracey Emin RA as she introduces her selection of masterpieces by Edvard Munch alongside her own works.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Meet the winners of the 2020 RA Architecture Awards
Be inspired by four practices who are reimagining the future of architecture and learn more about the evocative work of Cristina Iglesias, the 2020 RA Architecture Prize winner.
Artists
> 1 year ago
Family how-to: felt-tip printing
Make your own unique and colourful prints using felt-tip pens and an old baking dish.
RA Exhibitions
> 1 year ago
In 60 seconds: Sarah Gillespie’s ‘White Plume Moth’
See how artist Sarah Gillespie turns drawings of drowsy moths into beautiful mezzotint prints – raising awareness of a species that is often overlooked.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
Meet the artists of the Young Artists’ Summer Show 2020
Hear from some of the UK’s most talented young artists who are exhibiting in this year’s Young Artists’ Summer Show.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
Virtual tour: Summer Exhibition 2020
Explore the first ever winter Summer Exhibition like never before and discover a myriad of works by household names and emerging artists inside this virtual tour.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
Inside the Summer Exhibition 2020 with Jane and Louise Wilson RA
Join coordinators Jane and Louise Wilson RA as they introduce the 252nd Summer Exhibition and discuss the challenges of putting it all together during a pandemic.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
Watch Anne Desmet RA create ‘Wood Engraver’s Tower’
Learn the story behind Anne Desmet RA’s engraving, which commemorates the centenary year of the Society of Wood Engravers and features in this year’s Summer Exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
Origins of the Ordrupgaard Collection
Our latest exhibition, Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces of the Ordrupgaard Collection, has humble roots in the home of Wilhelm and Henny Hansen. In this video produced by Ordrupgaard, discover how the Hansens transformed their private home into a jewel in the crown of the Danish art scene.
Our Collection
< 2 years ago
7 life drawing shorts to do at home
In 2018, we hosted the world’s first-ever livestreamed life drawing class from the Royal Academy’s famous Life Room, #LifeDrawingLive. Grab a pencil and have a crack at each pose by life model Andrew Crayford.
Artists
< 2 years ago
Family how to: chalk printing
Try these two simple techniques and experiment with using chalk to make colourful abstract prints.
RA Exhibitions
< 2 years ago
Virtual tour: ‘Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces of the Ordrupgaard Collection’
Step into our galleries to experience ‘Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Ordrupgaard Collection’, including 60 works – many of which have never been seen in the UK.
Our Collection
< 2 years ago
How to read it: Flaxman’s ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’
The 18th-century British artist John Flaxman was an established sculptor, but it was his drawn illustrations of ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’ that made him a sensation across Europe.
RA Exhibitions
2 years ago
Inside the exhibition: Gauguin and the Impressionists
Join curator, Anna Ferrari, as she introduces Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces of the Ordrupgaard Collection, including works by Manet, Pissarro, Degas and Morisot coming to the UK for the first time.
Artists
2 years ago
Anne Desmet RA: engraving angels
Artist Anne Desmet RA documents the weekly progress of her latest wood engraving – inspired by her mother, the resilience of the human spirit, and Florence Nightingale.
Artists
2 years ago
Family how-to: shadow puppets
Follow these instructions to design your own puppets and put on a play in a cardboard theatre.
Our Collection
2 years ago
How to read it: Annie Swynnerton’s The Letter
In 1922, the Royal Academy elected its first female member in over 150 years, Annie Swynnerton – here’s how to read her enigmatic painting of a young woman.
Artists
2 years ago
Family how-to: plastic bag weaving
Follow these simple instructions to make a mini loom and have a go at weaving with recycled plastic bags.
Artists
2 years ago
David Hockney: “I’ve never been mainstream. Just be yourself”
Originally released to celebrate David Hockney’s 80th birthday, filmmaker Bruno Wollheim shared 80 short films made with the artist. Now, they are being re-released daily during the Coronavirus pandemic. Watch three of them here.
Artists
2 years ago
Family how-to: redesign your street
Experiment with architectural collage and have a go at redesigning your street for future generations.
RA Exhibitions
2 years ago
Revisiting the exhibition: Sensing Spaces
In 2014, an architecture exhibition took over the Royal Academy that invited audiences not just to step inside it, but to touch it, smell it and feel it. With a curator’s introduction, a documentary from the show and interviews with the architects, we take a trip back to the monumental exhibition, ‘Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined’.
Artists
2 years ago
Family how-to: fabric painting
Follow these easy instructions to brighten up your organic fabrics using natural, home-made dye.
Our Collection
2 years ago
How to read it: Meredith Frampton’s Still Life
This meticulous and mysterious work by Meredith Frampton is full of contrasting symbolism. Our Collections team guide you through it in this three-minute read.
Our Collection
2 years ago
In 60 seconds: Shonibare’s ‘Cheeky Little Astronomer’
Discover how multicultural influences fuse together to create a wider view of global inclusivity in Yinka Shonibare RA’s cheeky sculpture.
RA Exhibitions
2 years ago
Documentary: inside our Manet exhibition
Originally released in cinemas, this ‘Exhibition on Screen’ film takes you back in time to visit the Royal Academy’s 2013 ‘Manet: Portraying Life’ exhibition, one of our most visited shows of all time. Take a trip to 19th-century Paris where the story of this modern master unfolds – and peep behind the scenes at the RA, as the curators prepared to tell his story in this major show.
Our Collection
> 2 years ago
In 60 seconds: Hogarth’s ‘Gin Lane’ & ‘Beer Street’
Learn how a pair of engravings by satirical artist William Hogarth were used to alter the drinking habits of the British public in the 18th century.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Video: inside the artists’ gardens
Join curator Ann Dumas on a tour through the gardens of Claude Monet, Pierre Bonnard, Emile Nolde, Max Liebermann and Henri Le Sidaner. Filmed ahead of our 2016 exhibition, ‘Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse’, take a moment to escape to the idyllic rural wilderness.
Artists
> 2 years ago
Video: John Maine RA on the impact of coronavirus on his new sculpture, ‘Turning Point’
In this video from our ‘Artists in Isolation’ series, John Maine RA talks us through the process of making a huge, stone sculpture for Salisbury town centre – and what happens when lockdown lands in the middle of it.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Documentary: inside ‘Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse’
Originally released in cinemas, this ‘Exhibition on Screen’ film takes us back to our landmark exhibition, ‘Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse’, examining the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s.
Our Collection
> 2 years ago
How to read it: Frank Cadogan Cowper’s Vanity
Combining allusions to both Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite painting, Frank Cadogan Cowper’s Vanity celebrates beauty while cautioning against excessive self-regard. Unravel the painting’s influences in this three-minute read.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Picasso and Paper: virtual exhibition tour
Experience our ‘Picasso and Paper’ exhibition from home in this video tour of the galleries.
Artists
> 2 years ago
Digital premiere: watch the PHYLLIDA documentary
Enjoy this exclusive digital premiere of the film ‘PHYLLIDA’, a documentary portrait of the artist Phyllida Barlow RA. Released on her birthday, this film celebrates her pioneering contribution to the field of sculpture.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
In 60 seconds: Gauguin and the Impressionists
On 29 March 2020, we were due to open our new exhibition ‘Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Ordrupgaard Collection’. Since you can’t come to us, we thought we would bring a taste of it to you. In this video series, see a bite-sized biography of Gauguin, and take a deep dive into Renoir’s ‘Le Moulin de la Galette’ and Manet’s ‘Woman with a Jug’.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Video: ‘Léon Spilliaert’ - virtual exhibition tour
While the RA doors are temporarily closed, you can still experience our exhibition on Belgian artist Léon Spilliaert in this video tour of the galleries.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Video: Inside the exhibition – Picasso and Paper
Join curator Ann Dumas in exploring our new exhibition, ‘Picasso and Paper’. See how the iconic artist innovated by tearing, burning, sculpting and collaging with any paper he could get his hands on.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Video: watch Picasso make a masterpiece
Filmed in 1956, ‘Le Mystère Picasso’ is a documentary capturing Picasso in full creative flow. Three of the works he’s seen making in the film are now the walls of the RA, in ‘Picasso and Paper’ – watch how one of them came to be, in this short film…
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Video: meet insomniac artist Léon Spilliaert
Belgian artist Léon Spilliaert was an insomniac. He wandered the streets of Brussels at night in search of inspiration. In this video, delve into the solitude and mystery that encompasses the artist’s evocative paintings.
RA Exhibitions
> 2 years ago
Video: Lucian Freud’s painting technique
The 50 Lucian Freud self-portraits currently on show at the RA reveal how the artist developed his distinctive painting technique throughout his career. Find out more in this video.
RA Exhibitions
3 years ago
Thomas Houseago: Summer Exhibition 2019
“There’s an experience that art can offer which is this strange combination of activating the eyes, the mind, the body and a kind of emotional spectrum.”
RA Exhibitions
3 years ago
Video: meet the artists of the Young Artists’ Summer Show
Hear from some of the talented artists in our Young Artists’ Summer Show, which celebrates the creativity of young people aged 7-19.
RA Exhibitions
3 years ago
Video: Félix Vallotton in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a quick introduction to Félix Vallotton, the Swiss-born painter and printmaker whose portrayals of Belle Epoque Paris reveal a truly distinctive artistic vision.
Artists
3 years ago
Norman Foster RA introduces the Museo del Prado extension
In this video, architect Norman Foster RA discusses the redevelopment of Madrid’s Museo del Prado and his practice’s unique take on the boundaries between the old and the new.
RA Exhibitions
3 years ago
Video: Alexa Chung at the Summer Exhibition
Join presenter and fashion designer Alexa Chung for a (very) private view of this year’s Summer Exhibition, as she picks out some of her favourite works.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Artists of Oceania: John Pule
Artist John Pule, who is from Niue and New Zealand, introduces his five-panel painting ‘Kehe tau hauaga foou (To all new arrivals)’ in our Oceania exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Video: Learn about this spectacular headdress in Oceania
This huge feather headdress from Papua New Guinea is 100 years old and has rarely been shown in public due to its delicate nature.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Video: Egon Schiele in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a quick introduction to Egon Schiele, whose extraordinary works on paper are on show in our exhibition ‘Klimt / Schiele’.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Artists of Oceania: Mata Aho Collective
New Zealand’s Mata Aho Collective introduce their spectacular 11-metre installation ‘Kiko Moana’, which hangs in the opening room of our Oceania exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
> 3 years ago
Video: Gustav Klimt in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a quick introduction to Gustav Klimt, one of the two Viennese masters whose works on paper are shown side-by-side in our exhibition ‘Klimt / Schiele’.
RA Exhibitions
< 4 years ago
“It ties us back to our ancestors”: one family’s Oceania story
Shown together for the first time, two historic carvings in our Oceania exhibition tell the story of a voyaging past that connects the Māori people of New Zealand to their ancestors from far across the Pacific.
RA Exhibitions
< 4 years ago
Video: Oceania and the art of tattooing
Tattoo has a long history in the South Pacific, as shown by a number of historic treasures and contemporary artworks in our Oceania exhibition. In this video, a traditional tā moko (Māori tattoo) artist talks about his work.
RA Exhibitions
< 4 years ago
Video: Oceania opening procession and performances
Our major exhibition Oceania celebrates the dazzling and diverse art of this vast region. To mark the opening of the exhibition, a special ceremonial welcome took place at the RA.
RA Exhibitions
< 4 years ago
Introducing our 2019 exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts
From the genius of the Renaissance to immersive new work created specially for our galleries, next year’s exhibitions promise to exhilarate and inspire. The RA’s Artistic Director, Tim Marlow, introduces our packed programme for 2019.
RA Exhibitions
4 years ago
Inside the show: The Great Spectacle
From the work of “friendly rivals” Reynolds and Gainsborough to the rebellious Pre-Raphaelites, our exhibition The Great Spectacle brings together some of the highlights of 250 years of the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition. Take a look inside in these videos.
RA Exhibitions
4 years ago
Video: Grayson Perry inside the Summer Exhibition
Take a look inside the 250th Summer Exhibition in this video with coordinator Grayson Perry RA, as he shows us some of his highlights of this year’s show.
Inside the Academy
4 years ago
Video: behind the scenes at the new RA
Artistic director Tim Marlow gives a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Royal Academy of Arts.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: Tracey Emin RA on her largest-ever text piece
Hanging from the vast Victorian glass roof of St Pancras International, I Want My Time With You is the latest in the Terrace Wires public art series. In this video, Tracey Emin discusses the origins of the work and why she chose these particular words.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: Artemisia Gentileschi in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a quick introduction to Artemisia Gentileschi, one of very few women who carved out a career in the 17th-century art world.
Inside the Academy
> 4 years ago
RA250 stories: putting Hercules back together again
How do you take decades of dirt off a sculpture without damaging its original surface, or reassemble and attach missing parts of a historic statue? Find out in the latest edition of our behind-the-scenes video series, revealing our preparations for unveiling of The New RA.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: Van Dyck in 60 seconds
With our Charles I exhibition celebrating the monarch’s extraordinary art collection, we take a closer look at one of his favourite painters – the Baroque superstar Anthony van Dyck.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: a close-up look at Charles I’s Holbein drawings
As the RA prepares to show the great works of Charles I’s art collection, we go behind the scenes at Windsor Castle to see some rarely-shown Holbein drawings that are coming to the exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: what you need to know about Duchamp’s Fountain
2017 marks 100 years since a porcelain urinal changed the course of modern art. In this video, Professor Dawn Ades tells the story behind Marcel Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: what is encaustic painting?
Encaustic is an ancient painting method in which wax and pigment are fused onto a surface with heat. Watch a demonstration of this versatile technique by Royal Academician Terry Setch, recorded in his Cardiff studio.
RA Exhibitions
> 4 years ago
Video: Marcel Duchamp in 60 seconds
What was it that made Marcel Duchamp such an influential figure? Here’s a quick introduction to the man dubbed the father of conceptual art.
RA Exhibitions
< 5 years ago
Inside the show: Matisse in the Studio
From African masks to ornate furniture, the objects that Henri Matisse collected throughout his life played a key role in his art. Learn more in these videos with curator Ann Dumas.
Inside the Academy
< 5 years ago
RA250 stories: Look up! The six-metre ceiling painting back at the RA
Before we unveil the New RA for our 250th anniversary in 2018, we’re restoring some of the original features of our 18th-century home on Piccadilly. This video shows the reinstallation of a vast ceiling painting by William Kent.
RA Exhibitions
< 5 years ago
Video: Salvador Dalí in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a quick introduction to Salvador Dalí, the Spanish surrealist who became the first art superstar of the television age – and whose surprising friendship with Marcel Duchamp is currently in the spotlight at the RA.
RA Exhibitions
< 5 years ago
Video: Jasper Johns in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a quick introduction to Jasper Johns, one of the 20th century’s great artistic innovators, who continues to make work today.
RA Exhibitions
5 years ago
Video: Henri Matisse in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow gives a 60-second introduction to Henri Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Inside the Academy
5 years ago
RA250 stories: building a bridge that’s a sculpture
In 2018, our two historic sites at Burlington House and Burlington Gardens will be linked together for the first time. In this video, we look at the complex process of connecting two listed buildings, with a sculptural bridge that traces the line of an original garden path from 350 years ago.
Artists
5 years ago
Exploring watercolour with Christopher Le Brun PPRA
Think you know watercolour? Think again. Join Christopher Le Brun PPRA in his London studio as he debunks some of the myths about this versatile medium and its possibilities.
Inside the Academy
5 years ago
RA250 stories: hidden treasures of the RA Collection
In 2018 we’re unveiling new spaces to display the Royal Academy’s Collection. In this video, we take a look at some of the treasures that will be on show, including the UK’s only sculpture by Michelangelo.
Artists
> 5 years ago
Video: Gilbert & George in conversation with Tim Marlow
“We wanted to have an art that could deal with emotion, with life and death and hope and fear and friendship.”
RA Exhibitions
> 5 years ago
Inside the show: art of the Russian Revolution
In these videos, take a look inside our exhibition of post-revolutionary Russian art and learn more about the vast 1932 exhibition in Leningrad that inspired it.
RA Exhibitions
> 5 years ago
Video: Edward Hopper in 60 seconds
In our latest 60-second guide, Tim Marlow introduces Edward Hopper, perhaps the most important American realist painter of the early 20th century.
RA Exhibitions
> 5 years ago
Video: Grant Wood in 60 seconds
Tim Marlow introduces Grant Wood, the artist whose portrayals of small-town life in America include one of the most recognisable paintings of all time.
Inside the Academy
> 5 years ago
RA250 stories: how to restore a façade
How do you repair historic stone when that stone is no longer quarried? This video series reveals the ideas, people and challenges behind transforming the RA ahead of our 250th anniversary in 2018, and in this episode we come to the restoration of 6 Burlington Gardens and its historic statues.
RA Exhibitions
> 5 years ago
Video: Abstract Expressionists in 60 seconds
Got a minute? In these short videos, the RA’s Artistic Director introduces five of the key figures of Abstract Expressionism.
Artists
< 6 years ago
How to… make a wood engraving, with Anne Desmet
In the first part of our new video series looking at artistic techniques, Anne Desmet RA demonstrates each step in creating a wood engraving, from tracing the original drawing through to printing a first proof.
RA Exhibitions
< 6 years ago
David Bailey in conversation with Tim Marlow
Watch a video of legendary photographer and filmmaker David Bailey in conversation with the RA’s Artistic Director Tim Marlow, discussing his influential work and innovative portrait photographs from the last 60 years.
RA Exhibitions
< 6 years ago
What’s coming up in 2017 at the Royal Academy of Arts
The RA’s Artistic Director introduces our 2017 exhibition programme, which explores some of the most momentous developments in 20th-century art.
RA Exhibitions
< 6 years ago
Video: What’s it like to sit for David Hockney?
Hear from four of the sitters painted by David Hockney for our exhibition ‘David Hockney RA: 82 Portraits and 1 Still-life’, from 11-year-old Rufus Hale to the architect Frank Gehry.
RA Exhibitions
< 6 years ago
After the deluge: Artist Aono Fumiaki on art as restoration
In this video, artist Aono Fumiaki talks about his work born out of the wreckage of Japan’s 2011 tsunami, on show in this year’s Summer Exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
6 years ago
Video: Zatorski + Zatorski’s skeletal self-portrait
Artist duo Zatorski + Zatorski discuss their unusual self-portrait created from carbonised human skeletons.
RA Exhibitions
6 years ago
Video: Kutlug Ataman’s portrait in 10,000 panels
The Turkish artist discusses the origins of his large-scale installation work which is on show in the Summer Exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
6 years ago
Video: In the studio with David Hockney RA
David Hockney RA talks to curator Edith Devaney about his Royal Academy exhibition ‘82 Portraits and 1 Still-life’.
Artists
6 years ago
Making a Japanese woodblock print for the Summer Exhibition
In this video, Rebecca Salter RA explains the traditional tools and techniques used by the Sato Woodblock Workshop in Kyoto when creating her print for the Summer Exhibition 2016.
Opinion
6 years ago
Brexit, London housing and building diverse communities
In the headline debate for the London Festival of Architecture, our panellists and audience discuss how architecture can be used to bring people together at a time when Britain’s relationship to Europe and the rest of the world is the subject of intense discussion.
RA Exhibitions
6 years ago
In pictures: Summer Exhibition Preview Party 2016
The official launch of the Summer Exhibition 2016 welcomed some of London’s most celebrated artists and art lovers to Burlington House.
Inside the Academy
6 years ago
RA250 stories: Digitising the Collection
This video series reveals the ideas and people behind the transformation of the Royal Academy ahead of our 250th anniversary in 2018. In the second episode, we take a look at what’s involved in bringing artworks and documents from the past into the 21st century.
Artists
6 years ago
Sex, death and sculpture: Cathie Pilkington’s Top Shelf
The Royal Academician talks about the “Baccahanalian excess” of her sculptural installation Top Shelf, currently on display above the bar in the Academicians’ Room at the RA.
Artists
> 6 years ago
Conrad Shawcross RA’s ‘The ADA Project’ in Hong Kong
The Royal Academician’s sculpture inspired by the mathematician Ada Lovelace goes on show at The Peninsula Hotel.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Video: Kandinsky and the avant-gardeners
For Matisse, Kandinsky and Munch, the garden provided inspiration as they worked towards new styles of painting.
Opinion
> 6 years ago
Re-viewing the past: three new shows of video art
RA Magazine takes a look at three shows of video art that reinvent the documentary form.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Video: a visit to three artist gardens in northern France
Take a tour of three beautiful gardens which inspired paintings in our forthcoming exhibition on the garden in art.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Between the Land and the Sea: inside the show
Barbara Rae RA introduces our latest Art Sales range, currently on display in the Keepers’ House.
RA Exhibitions
> 6 years ago
Jean-Etienne Liotard: inside the show
In this video series, curator MaryAnne Stevens takes us inside the Sackler Wing exhibition devoted to the 18th century Swiss master, Jean-Etienne Liotard, and picks out a few highlights.
Artists
> 6 years ago
David Remfry RA on his portraits of people and dogs
In this video, the Royal Academician discusses his new book which brings together portraits of friends and neighbours with their canine companions.
Artists
< 7 years ago
Lessons in life, love and art from Marina Abramovic
From losing consciousness to sitting motionless every day for three months, the inimitable artist pushes her body to its limits. Watch her in conversation with Bryan Appleyard.
Artists
< 7 years ago
Bob and Roberta Smith RA at the William Morris Gallery
Bob and Roberta Smith’s exhibition of his recent campaigning art finds a natural home at the London gallery dedicated to designer and radical socialist William Morris.
RA Exhibitions
< 7 years ago
Edmund de Waal: video highlights of ‘white’
Artist and writer Edmund de Waal gives a tour of his new project in the RA Library and Print Room.
Artists
< 7 years ago
Fred Cuming RA: portrait of an artist
Fred Cuming RA reflects on his long career as a painter in this short film, shot in and around his East Sussex home.
RA Exhibitions
< 7 years ago
From Monet to Hockney: 2016 at the Royal Academy
The Royal Academy’s Artistic Director explains what’s in store in for the next year as we launch our 2016 exhibition programme.
Artists
< 7 years ago
Annual Architecture Lecture: Bjarke Ingels
Danish architect Bjarke Ingels delivered the 25th Annual Architecture Lecture in the unique setting of the Summer Exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
7 years ago
Richard E Grant at the Summer Exhibition 2015
A long-time fan of the Royal Academy’s annual Summer Exhibition, actor Richard E Grant takes us on a whistle-stop tour of his favourite works of art in this year’s show.
RA Exhibitions
7 years ago
Inside the show: Joseph Cornell
Take a look inside the exhibition ‘Joseph Cornell: Wanderlust’ in these short video clips with our curators.
Inside the Academy
7 years ago
RA250 stories: The architects
Our new video series goes behind the scenes to reveal the ideas and people behind the transformation of the Royal Academy ahead of our 250th anniversary in 2018. In the first episode, members of the project team from David Chipperfield Architects discuss how they’re taking it from concept to reality.
RA Exhibitions
7 years ago
Video: How Joseph Cornell became an artist
The curator of our Cornell exhibition describes how this singular artist’s life in early 20th century New York shaped his first forays into the art world.
Artists
7 years ago
Postcards from the edge of the Earth: Emma Stibbon’s polar art
A new exhibition showcases the Academician’s artistic response to her Arctic and Antarctic journeys.
Inside the Academy
7 years ago
Henry Coleman’s ‘The Greater Order’
Have you noticed something different about our banners? Artist Henry Coleman has co-opted them in a sculptural response to the Academy’s forthcoming architectural transformation.
RA Exhibitions
7 years ago
In pictures: Summer Exhibition Preview Party
The Summer Exhibition Preview Party is one of the most glamorous events in the London calendar – and a major fundraiser for the RA.
RA Exhibitions
7 years ago
Video: the making of Conrad Shawcross’s courtyard installation
Take a look behind the scenes at the making of ‘The Dappled Light of the Sun’.
RA Exhibitions
7 years ago
Video: Stanley Anderson’s scenes of rural life
The curators of our Stanley Anderson exhibition discuss his portrayals of the traditional crafts of the English countryside.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Fiona Rae RA: “I’ve always had an experimental approach to painting”
The Royal Academician explains how turning away from colour has had an invigorating effect on her work.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
Richard Diebenkorn: inside the show
Take a look inside our Richard Diebenkorn exhibition in these short videos presented by the exhibition’s curators.
Artists
> 7 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.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Bryan Kneale RA at Pangolin London
An exhibition of five decades of Bryan Kneale’s sculpture and works on paper gives the Academician a chance to see his work afresh.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Anish Kapoor’s new paintings at Lisson Gallery
The Royal Academician explains how his new series of paintings in silicone and resin have a close connection to his blockbuster 2009 show at the RA.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Richard Wilson’s ‘Hang On A Minute…’ travels to Hong Kong
The Royal Academician’s sculpture inspired by ‘The Italian Job’ goes on show at The Peninsula Hotel.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Zaha Hadid RA in conversation with Alain Elkann
The eminent architect discusses her approach to her work and her thoughts on the past, present and future of architecture.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Cornelia Parker’s poppies at the Whitworth
A survey of work by Cornelia Parker RA is the opening show at Manchester’s newly renovated Whitworth Gallery – featuring a room hung with the negatives from a poppy factory.
Our Collection
> 7 years ago
On the Reynolds trail in the RA archive
On the eve of a major exhibition in London dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds, we delve into the RA’s archive to learn more about the Academy’s founding president.
Inside the Academy
> 7 years ago
Behind the scenes of ‘Premiums: Interim Projects’
We went behind the scenes in the RA Schools to follow the progress of second-year students putting together their interim exhibition.
Opinion
> 7 years ago
Podcast and video: Rubens and body image in art
Professor Germaine Greer, Dr Tom Shakespeare, Grayson Perry RA and Professor Mary Beard discuss the role art plays in creating and communicating body image.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Chantal Joffe RA at Jerwood Gallery
We speak to painter Chantal Joffe RA in her new exhibition at Jerwood Gallery in Hastings.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
Video: dressing an Italian countess
What was it like to wear the elaborate clothes of a Renaissance aristocrat, as seen in the portraits of Giovanni Battista Moroni? Award winning actor Mark Rylance reveals all.
Inside the Academy
> 7 years ago
Video: a multi-sensory tour of the Royal Academy
A recent event for blind and visually impaired visitors engaged the senses of smell, touch, taste and hearing to explore our building’s architecture and history.
Our Collection
> 7 years ago
Video: how we made Mr. Turner
Who was Mr. Turner? A contradiction, Timothy Spall told us at a recent panel discussion on Mike Leigh’s biopic. Watch the event and a behind-the-scenes video about the film here.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Kiefer and Chipperfield talk space and creativity
In a discussion chaired by the RA’s Tim Marlow, Anselm Kiefer and David Chipperfield RA explore the ways art and architecture interact in Kiefer’s practice.
RA Exhibitions
> 7 years ago
A tailor meets ‘The Tailor’
We ask a Savile Row tailor to give us an insider’s perspective on Moroni’s iconic portrait ‘The Tailor’.
Artists
> 7 years ago
Anthony Eyton RA and the bell ringers of Spitalfields
The Academician’s lifelong artistic engagement with the East End neighbourhood now includes the bell ringers of its iconic Hawksmoor church.
Inside the Academy
< 8 years ago
Who’s who in ‘Mr. Turner’?
Mike Leigh’s new film brings to life one of British art’s brightest stars and features several scenes set at the RA. We take a look at the supporting cast of Turner’s friends and rivals at the Academy.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Tess Jaray RA reads from ‘The Blue Cupboard’
The Royal Academician shares a chapter from her new memoir.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Interview: William Tucker RA
As a new exhibition of his work opens in London, the US-based Academician reflects on an artistic discovery that moulded his approach to sculpture.
Inside the Academy
< 8 years ago
Q&A: Cultural historian Robert Hewison on Effie Gray
Ahead of a special event at the RA, one of our panellists tells us about the figures behind a 19th-century love triangle that scandalised the art world.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Conrad Shawcross RA on ‘The ADA Project’
The Royal Academician discusses his robot installation inspired by Ada Lovelace.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Tracey Emin RA: “It’s like being at art school again”
The Royal Academician describes tackling the medium of bronze as her major new exhibition opens in London.
RA Exhibitions
< 8 years ago
A visit to Ai Weiwei’s Beijing studio
As the RA prepares for a major Ai Weiwei exhibition in 2015, we visited the honorary Royal Academician at his studio in China.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Art Party: coming to a cinema near you
A new film by Bob and Roberta Smith RA and Tim Newton has its first screening at the RA.
Artists
< 8 years ago
Behind the scenes: Anselm Kiefer’s studio at Barjac
In the lead-up to his major RA exhibition this autumn, we take a look inside the artist’s huge “gesamtkunstwerk” in the south of France.
RA Exhibitions
8 years ago
Peter Fonda in Conversation
In celebration of the RA’s exhibition ‘Dennis Hopper: The Lost Album’, the BFI hosted a special event with Peter Fonda.
RA Exhibitions
8 years ago
Carlos Cruz-Diez in conversation
The legendary Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez discusses his experiments with colour and movement, and how he engages viewers with his art.
RA Exhibitions
8 years ago
A look inside ‘Radical Geometry’
Explore some of the highlights in our exhibition of groundbreaking abstract art from 20th-century South America
Our Collection
8 years ago
RA Collection acquires first film work
The film ‘Love has no reason’ by RA Schools graduate Julie Born Schwartz has been added to the Royal Academy’s historic Collection.
Artists
8 years ago
Tracey Emin talks about ‘My Bed’
Tracey Emin RA’s ‘My Bed’ (1998), one of the seminal works of the Young British Artist generation, goes up for sale at Christie’s on Tuesday 1 July.
RA Exhibitions
8 years ago
Opening the Summer Exhibition in style
The Summer Exhibition Preview Party is one of the most glamorous events in the London calendar - and a major fundraiser for the RA.
RA Exhibitions
8 years ago
Varnishing Day at the Summer Exhibition 2014
Celebrating with the artists in this year’s Summer Exhibition.
RA Exhibitions
8 years ago
An introduction to ‘Radical Geometry’
This summer the RA presents an exhibition of some of the most exciting geometric abstract art ever made.
Artists
8 years ago
Paint inspiration: Ken Howard RA
Ken Howard RA’s range of interior paints created specially for the Royal Academy is inspired by his beloved Venice, a city where he has had a studio for the past 10 years.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Paint inspiration: David Mach RA
The artist’s new paint range for the RA draws inspiration from his life and work.
RA Exhibitions
> 8 years ago
Summer Exhibition 2014: Judging
In the second of our behind-the-scenes videos about the RA Summer Exhibition 2014, we take a look at the judging process and speak to the exhibition’s coordinator Hughie O‘Donoghue RA.
Opinion
> 8 years ago
Wandering Words
‘Sensing Spaces’ was a transformative exhibition for the RA in lots of ways and from the beginning we wanted to break new ground in the types of events we organised for it.
RA Exhibitions
> 8 years ago
Artists submit their work for the Summer Exhibition
In the first of our behind-the-scenes videos about the RA Summer Exhibition 2014, we speak to some of the artists submitting their work.
RA Exhibitions
> 8 years ago
Lundahl & Seitl introduce ‘Symphony of a Missing Room’
Swedish-born artists Lundahl & Seitl are bringing their experiential artwork ‘Symphony of a Missing Room: Archive of the Forgotten and Remembered’ to the RA this summer.
RA Exhibitions
> 8 years ago
Anselm Kiefer in conversation with Tim Marlow
Watch our video of Anselm Kiefer Hon RA discussing his work with broadcaster and art historian Tim Marlow ahead of his major UK retrospective this autumn.
Inside the Academy
> 8 years ago
Vanessa Jackson: Curvature and Common Sense
Artist Vanessa Jackson presents the RA Schools Annual Lecture 2014.
RA Recommends
> 8 years ago
Charlie Billingham, Sarah Lucas and Ann Christopher RA
From contemporary maritime art to disemboweled books: everything worth seeing this week.
RA Recommends
> 8 years ago
Gifted, Victor Burgin, and Sean Scully RA
From 100 works on paper to Asian art in London: everything worth seeing this week.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Meet the architects: Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura
More than any other architects, Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura have made me look with a fresh eye at the Royal Academy’s galleries and architecture.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Meet the architects: Kengo Kuma
It may seem a strange term for an architect to coin, but Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has been developing an idea of what he calls “weak architecture”.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Meet the architects: Diébédo Francis Kéré
When putting together this group of architects I purposefully sought out those who would bring a variety of perspectives on how we think about architecture and the spaces around us.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Meet the architects: Li Xiaodong
It was when sitting with Li Xiaodong in a courtyard garden in the Huairou district, a mountainous area near the Great Wall, an hour north of Beijing, that many of his observations of Chinese culture and sensibilities became much clearer for me.
Inside the Academy
> 8 years ago
A taste of Sensing Spaces
Sensing Spaces will transform the RA’s Main Galleries with structures, light, sounds and smells. Hear from behind the scenes as the exhibition installation gets underway.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Meet the architects: Sofia von Ellrichshausen and Mauricio Pezo
Spending some time with the Chilean architects who ‘consider’ rather than ‘design’.
Artists
> 8 years ago
Meet the architects: Grafton
“Buildings tell the stories of our lives in built form… We walk through and feel spaces with our whole bodies and our senses, not just with our eyes and with our minds. We are fully involved in the experience; this is what makes us human.”
Inside the Academy
> 8 years ago
Nicolas Bourriaud: What is the exform?
Culture, history and rejection in the Google era.
RA Exhibitions
< 9 years ago
Who’s who in Sensing Spaces
Introducing the architects taking part in ‘Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined’.
RA Recommends
9 years ago
RA Schools Show 2013: Students discuss ther work
This year, 17 students will reach the end of their three-year postgraduate fine art course at the RA.
Opinion
9 years ago
Archive: RA on set: ‘Summer in February’
If you like ‘Downton Abbey’, you’ll love ‘Summer in February’, starring Dominic Cooper as Alfred Munnings, future President of the Royal Academy.
Inside the Academy
> 9 years ago
Reading in the Life Drawing Room
A one-day symposium concerned with the management of reading, with Lucy Skaer, Angie Keefer, Nina Power, Cally Spooner and Natasha Soobramanien.
Inside the Academy
> 9 years ago
Chris Kraus: A Very Literary Confession
Theory, fiction, criticism, confession?
RA Exhibitions
> 9 years ago
RA Schools students discuss Premiums 2013
The 2013 ‘Premiums: Interim Projects’ exhibition is an opportunity to see the work of RA Schools students at the midway point of their three-year course.
Inside the Academy
10 years ago
Bringing dance to the RA’s Courtyard
Choreographer Katie Green created a site-specific dance to accompany Chris Wilkinson RA’s ‘From Landscape to Portrait’.
Opinion
> 10 years ago
Edmund de Waal discusses his exhibition at Waddesdon
The artist gives RA Magazine an exclusive video tour of highlights from the show.