Real artists prove a big draw

In the round: David Hockney's Andalucia, painted in the Alhambra, Granada, earlier this year
Fisun Gner|Metro5 April 2012
The Weekender

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For this year's Royal Academy Summer Show the emphasis is on drawing, so two huge rooms are devoted to the medium, with one room featuring the work of non-artists: scientists, surgeons, musicians and film directors.

The idea is to demonstrate how drawing informs the work of non-art professionals. But though this might make for an interesting premise, it's one of the worst rooms in the show.

Luckily, the second drawing room has the wonderful doodles of Tom Phillips. Etched on Royal Academy headed paper during long board meetings, these make a nod to everything from the intricate geometric patterns found in Islamic art to detailed geological diagrams - showing how you can take the mind for a walk as well as a line.


Anish Kapoor, too, curates a room featuring sculptors' drawings, along with some prominent sculptural pieces. Highlights here include Dan Graham's intriguing glass and mirror cube. Lowlights include Antony Gormley's wishy-washy drips on paper.

This year's featured artist, Richard Long, gets the central domed space all to himself. Photographic and text documentation of his global journeys on foot line the walls, while a new floor piece features a crescent of handprints in white clay. It's all singularly unnoteworthy.

One definite highlight, however, is a huge work by Terry Frost. Painted last year, shortly before his death, the painting consists of 28 component canvases featuring Frost's striking circular black and red motifs - a majestic sight.

Until Aug 16, Royal Academy, Piccadilly W1, daily 10am to 6pm (Fri to 10pm), £7, £6 concs. Tel: 020 7300 8000. Tube: Green Park/Piccadilly Circus

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