How Sculptures Saved My Sanity at the RA Summer Exhibition

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition was not just a standard visit this year. I went in with a flawless, super-efficient plan: buy the listings book and walk through the rooms to track:

Who got in? Who is taking up space and why have I been rejected?

How they packing? What are the framing trends? How is the work hung?

What they charging? Where is the pricing sitting this year?

Why bother? What actually moves me? Anything relevant for my art?

About twenty minutes in, the circuit breaker tripped. Trying to process it all at once when everything screams for your attention forces your brain to demand a mute button. So, I did the only logical thing: I abandoned the plan entirely and simply looked at 3D works, aka sculptures.

There’s a distinct relief in looking at art that has absolutely nothing to do with your own practice. No wood panels, no composition to deconstruct, no internal comparison. Just weight, form, and space. And it saved me!

Luckily, I have an opportunity to go back. This time, I will be smarter: one track at a time, even if I have to walk around three times over.