Exhibition
Spanning works from over sixty years, Driven to Draw - organised by the Royal Drawing School in close collaboration with Sir Frank Bowling OBE RA - brings together preparatory sketches and collages drawn from the artist's archive, alongside completed works on paper and paintings.
The show is divided into three main sections: early drawings made during Bowling's years as an art student in the 1950s and 1960s; expanded drawings from Bowling's practice from the mid-1960s onwards; and a series of recent works up to the present day, highlighting drawing as a space for exploration and discovery throughout the artist's later career.
The exhibition inaugurates a new series of annual summer exhibitions at the Royal Drawing School, dedicated to exploring the drawing practice of major artists. As a drawing school, the exhibitions are developed as active spaces for practice as well as viewing. Accompanying each exhibition, the Royal Drawing School will produce a special publication, designed as both a catalogue and sketchbook, including blank pages that invite visitors to engage directly with the act of drawing themselves.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4pm
Admission: Free (GBP 7.50 donation encouraged)
Frank Bowling: "One of my most vivid memories as a student at the Royal College is discovering the life room. It was amazing: a space crowded with students, all drawing from the figure, alive with creativity. I had always tried to teach myself to draw, but that was the moment it truly became a passion - something I was determined to pursue. That was where it began, and since then, in one way or another, I've been drawing every day."
Events
Wondering how to get there? Plan your visit to the Royal Drawing School, London.
Online Drawing Class: Digital Studio inspired by Frank Bowling
Monday 29 June, 6.30-8.30pm | GBP 23
A two-hour live online drawing class will take place within the exhibition space. The session will begin with an introduction to Frank Bowling's drawing practice by his son, Ben Bowling, and his grandson, Frederik Bowling, followed by tutor-led drawing exercises inspired by his work.
Online Talk: Drawing Dialogue - Ben Bowling & Claudia Tobin on Frank Bowling
Wednesday 1 July, 7pm | GBP 6
Ben Bowling will be joined by curator Claudia Tobin for an online conversation exploring Frank Bowling's drawing practice at key stages throughout his career. Together, they will offer insight into the development of his work, reflecting on drawing as a fundamental part of his artistic process.
Frank Bowling, Untitled Orange Circle, 2026, acrylic on paper, 56.5 x 76 x 0.5 cm. Courtesy the artist. Photographed by Frederik Bowling. © Frank Bowling. All rights reserved, DACS 2026.
Frank Bowling, Leafy, 2024, acrylic on paper, 92.3 x 135 x 5.5 cm. Courtesy the artist. Photographed by Anna Arca. © Frank Bowling. All rights reserved, DACS 2026.
Black and white photograph of Frank Bowling working on Execution of Mary Queen of Scots taken by Tony Evans, 1963. Photo: Tony Evans. © Estate of Tony Evans. Courtesy Frank Bowling Archive.
Black and white photograph of Frank Bowling in the life room at the RCA by unknown photographer, c.1960. Courtesy Frank Bowling Archive.
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