Cats, flowers and Harry Hill’s car on fire – RA Summer Exhibition review

This year’s RA Summer Exhibition is less awful than usual, though it still contains some of the worst work you can imagine — far too many Michael Craig-Martins and Bob and Roberta Smiths. Conceptual artist Ryan Gander, who coordinated the show, has introduced a touch of strangeness to the stuffy open-submission fair, bringing a bit of weird discomfort to a place where an amateur’s tiny flower drawing can be eclipsed by a massive Tracey Emin nude.

In the Small Weston Room Gander has built an odd little living room: a video of a bloke doing Bowie karaoke blares, a disembodied corpse sits on a chair and a pair of silver boots have been dumped on a plinth. None of the work is great, but at least it’s a change from the usual tidal wave of garden paintings.

summer exhibition, royal academy, ryan gander, tracey emin, michael craig-martin, weston room, installation art, bowie karaoke, flower drawing, garden paintings