It is hard to believe that the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts has been running for 243 years! 

Each year it showcases a selection of art from established and emerging artists chosen from more than 12,000 pieces, all hoping for a place at this prestigious art show. The result is a superb array of paintings, photography, sculpture and film to brighten your day – even if the weather does not match it!

The fantastic sculpture by Jeff Koons that greets visitors as they walk into the RA courtyard is a personal favourite as we loved the warm, cheery feelings that it evokes and it sets the tone for the rest of the exhibition.

The Summer Exhibition gives visitors an unrivalled variety of art. Each room is jam-packed with art: big art, miniscule art, art in boxes, art hanging from the ceiling, minimal art, immensely detailed art, kinetic artworks, modern sculpture sitting alongside impressionist-styled painting, surrealism standing alongside new architecture and plenty more.

At first we found it odd that the myriad works in the gallery weren’t accompanied by individual explanations or titles. After a few minutes we realised why; The focus of the exhibition is on the artwork rather than the explanation. We are granted a short overview in each room but that’s it.

Favourite pieces include Simon Brundret’s Dog In a Bin which shows a life-size moving dog sculpture rummaging for food in a rubbish bin and a beautiful oil painting of London by Ken Howard titled Rain Effect In The City.

It’s rare to be afforded the privilege of experiencing works by established modern artists such as Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor alongside emerging talent. This is one exhibition where, like London, there really is something to suit all tastes.

Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts until 15 Aug 2011. Book tickets

The Covent Garden Market Building waved goodbye to American artist Jeff Koons‘ Rabbit this week.

The giant, 53-ft high, floating balloon installation had made its home in the South Hall for four days, to celebrate the opening of the Tate Modern’s exhibition Pop Life: Art in Material World, delighting and surprising everyone who came down to see him.

The first class lounge at Heathrow reported that his departure passed without incident. But apparently, he was rabbitting away to his mate Warren about how deflated he felt to be leaving the UK…

Thanks to everyone who supported his stay.

Covent Garden has really stepped into the virtual world over the last couple of weeks. You can now keep up to date with the latest news from the Piazza and surrounding areas on Twitter!

Follow @CoventGardenLDN for all the latest from CG: shopping promotions, free stuff, and further amazing installations - please follow us, and we’ll follow you! 

Bye for now!

For four days only, an inflatable replica of Jeff Koons’ metre-high Rabbit sculpture will be floating inside the Market Building.

Koons created the large-scale silver balloon for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2007 in New York and it is in Covent Garden exclusively to celebrate the opening of Tate Modern’s new exhibition Pop Life: Art in Material World which runs until 17 January.

Don’t forget, Covent Garden is also the epicentre of London Restaurant Festival, with lots of foodie events taking place over the next week.