In 2027, the Royal Academy will host a “monumental” exhibition by Simone Leigh — the first Black woman to represent the US at the Venice Biennale. Who is Simone Leigh? So why is the Royal Academy only now announcing a major Simone Leigh show for 2027? The wider context of Simone Leigh’s exhibition: Black feminist struggleThe timing also matters. Simone Leigh’s Royal Academy exhibition will be powerful, monumental, and overdue.