New English Art

Today the New English Art Club Annual Exhibition opened at the Mall Galleries in London. Its blurb claims the exhibition "provides the public with an important opportunity to see the paintings and drawings of the country's leading figurative artists. Their work can be viewed alongside those of selected non-members in a diverse show of outstanding quality." Sadly the painting they chose to promote the exhibition doesn't show up well on my computer monitor: Barnaby's Factory (detail) by Tesse Coleman NEAC. The show runs until 9 December, entry £2.50 or £1.50 for silver surfers (CLICK).

Artes Mundi 2012

The Welsh dragon is determined to outcrap the English rose when it comes to making a mockery of the concept of art. The Artes Mundi is the richest contemporary art prize in the UK, with £40,000 as its top award and £4,000 going to each of the runners up. This year the Artes Mundi was won by a Mexican woman, Teresa Margolles, who graduated in forensic medicine and who obviously knows nothing about art. Shown is her Plancha (2012), a series of hotplates onto which drips water that has been used to clean dead bodies in a morgue. Whether this contaminated water was imported into Wales in barrels or there is a morgue on an upper floor of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff I can't say, as the organisers are keeping shtoom on the subject (CLICK). To view tripe by the seven shortlisted "artists" CLICK.

Far Cry 3 Art

The Telegraph must have taken note of my interest in concept art. It's posted a gallery of concept art created by Ubisoft when developing Far Cry 3 (CLICK). The figurative artists employed remain anonymous. Tut tut. This graphic is Ocean View. The jungle is very atmospheric.

Valentino

Today Somerset House opened its Winter biggy, one for ladies and cross-dressers, Valentino: Master of Couture, a celebration of the life and work of a master of haute couture, now retired. His models may have been stick thin, but he designed clothes for more shapely ladies such as Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly and Gwyneth Paltrow. 130 of his gowns are on display for the first time in the UK and visitors view them from a catwalk created for the show (CLICK). Admission costs £12.50 for adults, £9 for silver surfers. Related events are already sold out. CLICK for a BBC video.

Patricia Piccinini

If you're into weird, this is the exhibition for you: Patricia Piccinini at Haunch of Venison, 103 New Bond Street, London. This is the first UK solo exhibition of Australian artist Patricia Piccinini. It opened yesterday and ... er ... humps along until 12 Jan 2013 (CLICK). Above is her The Carrier (2012) made of fibreglass, silicone, human hair and clothing. I know a few people who could do with one.

Kim Jong-un Spoof

Satirical website The Onion named North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un the sexiest man alive for 2012, citing his chic hairstyle, his impeccable fashion sense, his devastatingly handsome round face, his boyish charm, his strong, sturdy frame and of course that famous smile, all of which makes this Pyongyang-born heart-throb every woman's dream come true. The best bit is yet to come! Unaware that The Onion had lampooned the dreaded Kim, the online version of the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper The People's Daily gave The Onion's farcical story a 55-page photo spread. Whoops! CLICK for The Onion update. CLICK for the BBC News story that follows the unwitting trail from The Onion to The People's Daily.

Serco's Secret London

I'm a bit late with this post; I only found out about it today. The Serco Prize For Illustration 2012 has been won by Finn Clark with his painting Temple Bar Memorial Statue. This year’s theme was Secret London. The exhibition of the top 50 entries opened at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden Piazza and runs until 10 December (CLICK). Admission is £13:50 or £10 for silver surfers.

D&AD Annual 2012

Isn't writing Christmas cards a bore! Quentin Blake's Nude (2012) is one of 50 newly commissioned covers for the 50th D&AD Annual. The original works will be auctioned on 3 December at the Hospital Club in London. You can also bid online (CLICK). Reserve prices start at £200. All proceeds from the auction will go to the D&AD Foundation to support new projects. A limited edition of 1,500 copies of the Annual is also available from Taschen, price £34.99. CLICK for a Telegraph picture gallery.

Kate Opens Treasures

Yesterday Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, officially unveiled the new Treasures Cadogan Gallery at the Natural History Museum in London (CLICK). Here is Kate being shown round by Special Collections Manager Judith Magee. The Treasures Cadogan Gallery in Central Hall showcases 22 of the museum's most prized items, from Charles Darwin's pigeons to Guy the Gorilla and including Archaeopteryx, the most valuable fossil in the museum's extensive collection. Blown glass models of sea creatures are dazzling. CLICK for a musical slide show by Paul Kerley with voiceover by Project Director Meg MacDonald. Treasures opens to us on Friday.

Pac-Man Moons

I've heard of life imitating art, but this is ridiculous. NASA has released these Thermal Images of Saturn's Moons Mimas (2010) and Tethys (2012) which clearly show two stages in the animation of the 1980s arcade character Pac-Man. Both images were captured by the Cassini-Huygens mission, launched in 1997 to study the Saturn system. Astronomers reckon that fast-moving electrons create the temperature differences that make these Pac-Man shapes (CLICK).

Pop Culture Sale

Concept paintings are fascinating, because, like preparatory sketches, they show the creative process that leads to the finished work. Gustaf Tenggren's Concept Painting for Pinocchio comes up for grabs at Christie's London auction of Pop Culture on 29 November, estimated value £35,000 - £45,000. You can view it on Wednesday at Christie's Saleroom, 85 Old Brompton Road (CLICK).

Amy—Blue

The National Portrait Gallery in London has bought the worst portrait of the late Amy Winehouse I've seen: Amy—Blue by Marlene Dumas (2011). It was bought with the help of the Art Fund, so it must have cost a pretty penny. It went on display at the gallery today. CLICK for a bigger graphic. Far better portraits of Amy have been created by Johan Andersson (CLICK) and Jason Mecier (CLICK). The best I've seen is by Zinsky, on display at Clarendon Fine Art in London until 5 December (CLICK).

Naked Man Update

The man arrested after disrobing on the statue of Prince George, the Duke of Cambridge, Whitehall, on Friday made his second appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court today and was remanded in custody again. Dan Motrescu, a 29-year-old Ukrainian national of no fixed abode, is charged with an offence contrary to Section 5 of the Public Order Act, possession of an offensive weapon in public and criminal damage to property. Offensive weapon? He was nude, wasn't he? I guess the bit he broke off the statue and threw to the ground is the alleged offensive weapon. He dismissed his lawyer at the hearing and told the court he wanted to be deported back to Ukraine and for the case to be heard there. He'll be back in court on Thursday (CLICK).

Out of Context

Last Friday Beers.Lambert Contemporary at 1 Baldwin Street, London, opened Out of Context: Female Artists from Germany, which runs until 22 December (CLICK). The three artists are painter Regina Nieke, sculptor Frauke Wilken and Heike Jobst, who uses whatever medium she fancies. I'm still trying to figure out the significance of her Artisin, made of wax, polyurethane, steel and textile. Is it some feminist statement about girls and their knickers? The show is free, so you could trot along and find out for yourself.

Ice Age Art

Booking has already opened for Ice Age Art: arrival of the modern mind at The British Museum in London (CLICK). The show runs from 7 February to 26 May 2013, admission £10 or £5 for silver surfers between 12.00 and 16.30 Mondays. This Female Figure gives you an idea of the sort of art to expect. Has Man really been obsessed with big boobs for 20,000 years? To help promote the connection with the "modern mind", prehistoric artifacts will be shown alongside equally primitive works by Henry Moore, Mondrian and Matisse. Ignore the wonders of Renaissance and Neoclassical sculpture and this exhibition might convince you that art hasn't progressed for 20,000 years. Why pay to be hoodwinked by The Henry Moore Foundation?

Boris in India

London Mayor Bouncy Boris is playing the Great White Chief in India, beginning with New Delhi on Sunday, hoping to drum up trade for the UK (CLICK). He closed down Red Ken's trading posts when he came to power, but thinks it's time to curry favour with the natives. He wants them all driving Jaguars built in Coventry. It's a laudable ambition, I suppose.

Joanna Vanderham

I must admit I succumbed to BBC's The Paradise, adapted from Émile Zola's Au Bonheur des Dames (The Ladies' Paradise), a department store saga originally set in Paris. The show was full of flaws and irritating characters, presented a far too cheerful picture of working-class drudges forced to work a 12-hour day, had as its backdrop a street that always looked like a BBC set and reached an unbelievable denouement; but I was hooked by the subtle acting of Joanna Vanderham as Denise. I haven't seen such an enchanting performance since Claire Foy played Little Dorrit four years ago (CLICK). Why any woman should fall for unshaven, womanising, misogynist scruff Moray is beyond me. He does his best to fleece women of their husbands' wealth, is intent upon marrying into a rich family and has fathered and disowned a child by one of his shopgirls! If Denise wants him, she's welcome to him, but I expected more sense from her (CLICK). Series 2 in the offing?

Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Michelangelo's masterpiece the Sistine Chapel Ceiling in the Vatican is 500 years old. It's almost unbelievable that this entire ceiling was painted buon fresco (before the plaster dried) giornata (a day's work) in only four years, between 1508 and 1512. This is High Renaissance in more ways than one. Michelangelo's stupendous work of Christian mythology attracts more than 20,000 rubber-necking tourists a day. The Vatican admits it may have to limit the number of visitors. Top is The Temptation of Adam and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Left is Ignudo from the Sacrifice of Noah group; it shows how the plaster was overpainted. CLICK for a BBC News video. CLICK to see high quality images of the ceiling panels.

Serge Marshennikov

Here's a YouTube video of lovely naked ladies painted by Russian artist Serge Marshennikov, set to George Frideric Handel's sublime aria Lascia Ch'io Pianga sung by Sarah Brightman, video directed by Oleg Kymara. As always, click the bottom right corner to expand to full screen, then ESC to return. (CLICK to hear Cecilia Bartoli sing this aria.)

RA Luxury Brand

Did you know that the Royal Academy of Arts is a luxury brand? Neither did I until it won the British Cultural Excellence category in the Walpole British Luxury Awards for Excellence 2012 (CLICK). It stands alongside the likes of Mulberry, Ferrari, Burberry and Jaguar as a luxury brand which flogs goodies to the wealthy. Maybe that's why it charges such high prices for its exhibitions. This year's awards, held at Banqueting House last Monday, were presented by Anthony Head, presumably a luxury brand himself since he played King Uther in BBC's Merlin. What puzzles me is that in the year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee no award went to the Royal Family, surely the UK's most prestigious luxury brand.

Nude On Statue

It's less than a week since BBC News Magazine posted The shock of the (male) nude (CLICK) and already a naked man has perched on a statue in London. He mounted the statue of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, in Whitehall and removed his clothes. Crowds gathered. The police set up a cordon. An eyewitness claims "two fire engines, eight squad cars and four mounted police" turned up, as well as an ambulance. Sounds par for the course! We take our naked men seriously in Britain. After 3 chilly hours the man climbed down and was detained under the Mental Health Act (CLICK). Texan student Lydia Kassa took this snap, which I've enhanced. So, big question, Auntie: Was anyone actually shocked?

Chivalry For Sale

Sir Frank Dicksee's famous painting Chivalry (1885) comes up for grabs in Christie's London sale of Victorian & British Impressionist Art on 13 December, estimated value £600,000 – £800,000. Another fine painting in the auction is The Wrestling Scene in ‘As You Like It’ by Daniel Maclise RA, estimated value £300,000 - £500,000 (CLICK to view). Both these fine paintings are from the collection of businessman John Schaeffer. Both should be saved for the Nation.

Zinsky: New Works

Today Clarendon Fine Art in Dover Street, London, opened New Works from Zinsky, the reclusive British artist who paints celebrities in his own special way (CLICK). Above is Zinksy's Barack Obama. The exhibition lasts only until 5 December. So don't dither or you'll miss it.

Light Fantastic

Tomorrow the PM Gallery in the 1940s extension to Pitzhanger Manor House, Ealing, London, opens The Light and Dark Fantastic: Sculpture by Tsai and Yoshikawa (CLICK). This is the first ever solo exhibition by Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Kimiya Yoshikawa. Their intricate light sculptures are inspired by natural objects: feathers, sea anemones, flowers and tendrils. Shown is their Blooming Spark I (2011) made from Perspex, UV and crown silver lamp.

Other Art Fair

Today The Other Art Fair opened at Ambika P3 on Marylebone Road, London. This is the UK's leading "artist-led" fair, which gives punters the chance to deal directly with artists, instead of gallery salesmen. There are more than 1,000 pieces from £50. You can gain entry for as little as £3 if you're a silver surfer or if you book quoting ArtRabbit's TOAF 241 to get two tickets for the price of one (CLICK). Shown is Max GPinto's Porn-O-lympics series, 1 (2012).

Russian Gaiety!

Today the Saatchi Gallery in London opened its winter biggy: GAIETY IS THE MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE OF THE SOVIET UNION, which staggers along until 5 May 2013. I assume the title is intended to be ironic, because this is the most miserable exhibition I've ever seen. It features over 400 photos by Boris Mikhailov of slum dwellers and homeless people exposing themselves, example shown. I guess he paid them to do so. Why? There is a host of pathetic rubbish in this exhibition (CLICK). At least it's free.

Young Masters Winner

The winner of The Young Masters Art Prize 2012, announced yesterday, is London-based photographer Lottie Davies with this meticulously staged photo Viola As Twins from her ongoing series Memories and Nightmares (CLICK). She won the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize in 2008 with an earlier photo from the series. CLICK to visit her website.

Rothko Tag Update

The damage done to Mark Rothko's ghastly mural Black on Maroon (1958) by the Polish twit Wlodzimierz Umaniec alias Vladimir Umanets, who remains on conditional bail, is worse than inititally thought. The ink used in the criminal tagging has penetrated every layer of paint through to the canvas. Tate Passé reckons if will take 18 months to repair the damage at vast cost (CLICK). I'd leave it as is. It's rubbish as art, tagged or not, and the tagging gives it a certain notoriety.

Sorolla Record

Joaquin Sorolla's Pescadores Valencianos (Valencian Fishermen) of 1895 fetched a record auction price for the artist of £3,737,250 ($5,945,591) at Sotheby's London sale of 19th Century European Paintings yesterday, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £1.5m - £2m. It was bought by a European Foundation (CLICK). Just a fleeting visit to Blighty.

Artist Miffs Park

South Korean satirical artist Hong Sung-dam has infuriated South Korea's ruling party by showing this oil painting in an exhibition at the Peace Museum in Seoul to mark the 40th anniversary of the Yushin Constitution of 1972. Golden Time doctor Choi In-hyuk Salutes a New-born Mr President depicts presidential candidate Park Geun-hye giving birth to her father, the late president Park Chung-hee, wearing his characteristic sunglasses. Choi In-hyuk was the central character in broadcaster MBC's popular medical drama Golden Time. The notebook on the floor is also a Mickey-take: Park’s political opponents have nicknamed her “the Notebook Princess”, because she relies on memos when talking about sensitive issues. And note the "V" sign. CLICK for the BBC version. CLICK for The Korea Times (in English) which shows a better graphic and has more details.

Constable Study

This oil-on-paper Study of figures and horse-drawn wagons on Hampstead Heath (c.1824) bears incised marks which suggest its elements were traced, probably by Constable's assistant Johnny Dunthorne, to expedite Constable's duplication of one of his paintings of Branch Hill Pond, Hampstead Heath. The study reputedly came from the artist’s studio and was handed down to one of his granddaughters. After 62 years in private hands, this revealing study comes up for auction in Bonhams Old Masters sale on 5th December at New Bond Street, London, estimated value £60,000 to £80,000 (CLICK).

Nude And Rude

A month ago I posted news of the furore created by adverts for the Leopold Museum's exhibition Nude Men (CLICK). Gritting its teeth, BBC News, Vienna, visited the show and has posted The shock of the (male) nude (CLICK). Its photos are coy, which rather defeats the broad-minded approach of the text. Its sauciest photo from the exhibition is Elmgreen & Dragset's Tank Top (2009), a daft desecration of Bertel Thorvaldsen's magnificent sculpture Shepherd Boy and His Dog (1817). The Leopold Museum is not averse to controversy. Back in 2005 it offered free access to naked people for one of its erotic shows (CLICK).

Another Attic Find

The treasures people bung in their attics! This painting, covered in dust and cobwebs, was found during an attic cleanout. The owner - an art school teacher - emailed a photo of it to auction house Christie’s in London. Their expert identified it as a painting by Pre-Raphaelite artist William James Webbe, Barn Owl, exhibited at the Royal Society in 1856 and praised by famous art critic John Ruskin. Christie's estimate its value at £70,000. CLICK for more of the story.

I Found Horses

Here's another equestrian art exhibition coming up in London, this one in aid of charity: the Emile Faurie Foundation - Reaching Children Through Horses. The Foundation is "a unique collaboration of schools, riding establishments and fundraisers whose aim is to help as many children as possible experience the joys and benefits of horsemanship" (CLICK). The exhibition I Found Horses opens at Art Galleries Europe London in Maddox street, Mayfair, on 4 December and trots along until 8 December (CLICK). Shown is Simple Elegance (2012) by Sally Lancaster ASEA, painted specially to donate to the show. CLICK for her website.

David Gray video

As it's Sunday, I thought you might have a few minutes to spare to watch a YouTube video of art by award-winning David Gray, an American classical realistic artist who paints portraits and still lifes. CLICK to visit his excellent website and see more of his superb work.

In The Blood

Yesterday a new exhibition In The Blood opened at Chartwell, Sir Winston Churchill’s former home in Kent (CLICK). The exhibition explores Churchill's transatlantic ancestry, bringing together 50 objects, half of which have never been on public display before. For me, the star of the show is this sublime charcoal sketch of Jennie Jerome, Sir Winston's American mom, by John Singer Sargent, one of the finest artists ever to have worked in Britain. BBC News has posted a slide show of some of the items on display: CLICK. Ignore the daft title of the exhibition; it reflects the old nature/nurture debate in Psychology and implies that Sir Winston's leadership skills were genetically inherited. Clearly this case is nurture at its most blatant.

Young Masters Prize

The Young Masters Art Prize 2012 Part 2 opens at Gallery 27 in Cork Street, London, on 19 November and runs until 24 November (CLICK). The show will feature work by the 26 shortlisted artists in a variety of media including photos. The winner will be announced next Tuesday (CLICK). "The Young Masters Art Prize is a unique, not-for-profit biennial competition open to international and UK-based artists who combine skill and innovation with awareness of the Old Masters and art of the past. It aims to give global recognition to artists in the early stages of their career." Shown is Derrick Santini's photo Goddess of Love (shades of Leda And The Swan by Rubens, Leonardo, Boucher et al).

US Western Art

I must admit I'm of that generation which was indoctrinated by the American western through movies, novels, TV and comics. Does anyone still remember Matt Slade Gunfighter, Kid Colt Outlaw and the Buffalo Bill Wild West Annual? For those of you who do, here's a blast from the past: Howard Terpning's Plunder From Sonora (1982) which fetched $962,500 (£605,893) this week at Heritage Auctions, the world's largest collectibles auctioneer and a leader in US western art. CLICK for a larger graphic.

ING Top Prize

Believe it or not, ING Commercial Banking awarded this "sculpture" Divided Self IV by Owen Bullet its top prize of £5,000 (CLICK). I can't imagine anyone in his right mind calling this rubbish "art", let alone awarding it a prize. What is even more amazing is that The Discerning Eye - a misnomer to anyone who appreciates art - is a registered charity with the aim of encouraging a wider understanding and appreciation of the visual arts! Gimme strength! The exhibition wastes space at the Mall Galleries in London until 25 November, admission free (CLICK).

Allies Copy Sold

A copy of Lawrence Holofcener's The Allies (1995), depicting Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Winston Churchill in amiable conversation, sold for £409,250 - double its estimate - at Bonhams in London this week. Not surprisingly it was bought by an American. The original was commissioned by the Bond Street Association to commemorate fifty years of peace and was given to the City of Westminster. Sited between Old and New Bond Streets, it was unveiled in 1995 by HRH Princess Margaret and marks the Atlantic Charter and the "special relationship" between Britain and the USA (CLICK).

A Grumble of Gromits

Here are some of the 60 fibreglass Gromit Statues that creator Nick Park will be sending to artists around the world to decorate with their own designs. When painted and returned, the statues will be put on display in Bristol for 10 weeks next year before being auctioned for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal in aid of the Bristol Children's Hospital. CLICK for a BBC video.

What's Wrong With RCA?

The Royal College of Art in London is blowing its own trumpet with a celebratory exhibition which opens tomorrow and limps along until 3 January 2013: The Perfect Place to Grow: 175 Years of the Royal College of Art (CLICK). The show features more than 350 works of art and design by over 180 RCA graduates and staff. The alumni include junk peddlers Henry Moore and Tracey Emin. The Telegraph sent a photographer and his girlfriend to the media preview and recorded some dire rubbish (CLICK). A Porsche 991 designed by Matthias Kulla and his team and David Mach's Spike, a cheetah made from hundreds of wire coat hangers, are as good as it gets. I can't see much to celebrate here, RCA.

'New' Banksy Book

This is the latest cover for Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall by Will Ellsworth-Jones. The book was first published by Aurum Press Ltd in May of this year with 320 pages. The latest edition will be published by St Martin’s Press on 12 February 2013 with 336 pages. So it isn't a new book as ArtDaily claims (CLICK). The author pieces together Banksy's rise to fame through conversations with Banksy's friends and enemies, those who knew him in his unnoticed days and those who have watched him try to come to terms with his newfound success. How much of this is accurate is anyone's guess. Take it with a pinch of salt, is my advice, like the news that this is a "new" book.

Some People

Jonathan Yeo gets around. A week ago he unveiled his portrait of Sienna Pregnant at his exhibition of plastic surgery pictures in Berlin (CLICK). Tomorrow his first portfolio of limited-edition prints, numbered and signed by him, is unveiled at the Eleven Fine Art gallery in London: Some People (CLICK). New unseen images will be shown alongside reworked versions of his most famous portraits. His sitters include Nicole Kidman (above), Sienna Miller, Dennis Hopper, and Erin O’Connor.

AfroFabRicatiOn

If you like your beetles dressed in African textiles, this is the show for you. Louis Masai's AfroFabRicatiOn opens at the Nancy Victor Gallery, 6 Charlotte Place, Fitzrovia, London, on 16 November and scampers along until 7 December, weekdays only, admission free (CLICK). I noticed that the gallery is seeking proposals from artists for new shows. Contact info@nancyvictor.com.

Campari Calendar 2013

Here's one of the 75% of Spaniards still in employment: Penelope Cruz. She's trying very hard to look sexy, but with that hairstyle she looks more like a Gorgon from Greek mythology awaiting her next victim. This is the August page from the Campari Calendar 2013, which continues to try to associate booze with glamour and luxury, instead of liver disease and premature death. The theme this year is superstition, sumptuously photographed at great expense by Kristian Schuller. (CLICK for a Telegraph slide show.) With a day of strikes and protests across debt-ridden EU countries, including Spain and Italy, I can't help wondering if Penelope isn't being waved as a red rag to a bull (CLICK).

Games Concept Art

I missed writing about The London Games Festival 2012, because it lasted only five days in October and wasn't included in my usual sources of information. However, all is not lost. The impressive concept art in the exhibition has all been donated for online auction to support the charity SpecialEffect, which helps people with disabilities to have a better quality of life through games, art and technology. The artworks are auctioned in batches. CLICK to browse them and note the auction date for any you fancy. Top is Charlie Bowater's concept art Girl With Flute for Atomhawk's game The Realm (bid now). Bottom is Brittany Fuerst's artwork for Aldorlea Games' Millennium - A New Hope (bid 19/11/12).

Millennium - A New Hope

The Horse in Art

The Society of Equestrian Artists has changed venues for its annual exhibition, from the Mall Galleries to the Menier Gallery within the historic Menier Chocolate Factory near London Bridge (CLICK). The Horse in Art 2012 opens on 20 November and gallops along until 1 December (CLICK). Sculptures as well as paintings will be shown by some of the top professional artists in the field. If you share a passion for horses, this show is a must. Equestrian artist Sally Lancaster ASEA kindly sent me this graphic of one of the unusual paintings of polo ponies she will be displaying at the show: Beach Ball. CLICK to visit Sally's website. She also paints human portraits and pets as well as horses.

ING Discerning Eye

To be honest, I can't make head nor sense of Neil Canning's painting Ocean Current, despite its title; but what can you expect when a bank sponsors two artists, two collectors and two critics to select works for the ING Discerning Eye exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London (CLICK)? The show runs from 15 to 25 November. Admission is free.

Silk and Gold

The University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum recently opened the first exhibition devoted to the art of Meiji textiles ever to be held outside Japan: Threads of Silk and Gold: Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan (CLICK). As you can see from the detail of this exquisite Peacock, the ornamental textiles on display from Japan’s Meiji era (1868–1912) are outstanding. Tickets are £6 adult, £4 silver surfer. Running alongside this show is Happy Birthday Edward Lear: 200 Years of Nature and Nonsense (CLICK). You can visit both exhibitions with a discounted combined ticket.