Assembling  over 100  contemporary and historic artworks, this exhibition  ignites a crucial conversation about the profound influence of art in shaping narratives related to empire, enslavement, resistance, abolition, and colonialism.

Spanning an impressive 250-year timeline, from the establishment of the Royal Academy in 1768 to the contemporary era, this exhibition draws on the RA's ongoing research into its historical connections with colonialism.

Works include grand-scale paintings, sculptures, immersive installations, films, as well as intimate works on paper and poetic creations. Through these varied mediums, the exhibition  provides fresh contexts for interpreting  these artworks.

The exhibition sets up a dynamic dialogue between works by prominent contemporary artists such as Frank Bowling RA, Sonia Boyce RA, Lubaina Himid RA, Isaac Julien RA, Hew Locke RA, Yinka Shonibare RA, and Kara Walker Hon RA, and the creations of their historical counterparts.

This juxtaposition connects the past and present, highlighting how art has been intricately intertwined with colonial histories.  Artists from the past, including luminaries such as Joshua Reynolds PRA, Thomas Gainsborough RA, John Singleton Copley RA, and J.M.W. Turner RA,  engage in this intriguing conversation, offering a profound reflection on the complex relationship between art and colonial legacies.