Simone Leigh will present her largest-ever exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in late 2027, featuring new monumental bronze and ceramic sculptures alongside film installations. The show, curated by Tarini Malik, will explore the theme of architecture and art created under fascist regimes, with Leigh citing the current political climate in the United States as a driving influence. Leigh, who represented the US at the 2022 Venice Biennale and won the Golden Lion, has noted that some artist commissions have been stalled or canceled due to anti-DEI policies.
The exhibition matters because it marks a major institutional milestone for one of the most significant contemporary American artists, while directly engaging with urgent political questions about artistic freedom under authoritarian governance. Leigh’s commentary on the impact of Trump-era DEI rollbacks on artists and institutions adds a timely, critical dimension to the show. The Royal Academy platform will amplify her ongoing exploration of Black female experience, history, and resistance through sculpture and social practice.