A link splurge

Click these things. If you want.

I need to go and see Anish Kapoor's new outdoor exhibition

Chris Cunningham's moody video for Gil Scott Heron, it's essentially a portrait but is really cool.

Kanye's leaked track featuring Bon Iver. Which is well worth a listen

A really sick tune by Dubstep dude Ramadanman

Are Harry Potter and Norman Foster in cahoots?

Mark Ronson and Boy George have made a new song, it's pretty super.

Picasso: The Mediterranean Years

I've been living in London for four years but have only recently realised that there are loads of hidden away private galleries with great shows- besides the major NPG, Tate, Barbican etc.



Seeing this vast free exhibition at the Gagosian (in Kings Cross) and last year's Gilbert and George White Cube shows has really made me realise that its not just about the big public institutions.

Picasso: The Mediterranean Years shows off the artist's versatility with a wide range of statues, paintings, pottery and sketches. You really should see it before it ends on August 28.

LOADS MORE INFO HERE

Yeezy

Say what you want about Kanye West, and there is a lot to say, but he picks some great collaborators.

On Late Registration he brought in Jon Brion to co-produce and orchestrate the record, adding depth to the rapper's own beats. According to rumours he's brought DJ Premier and Q Tip in to work on his new album- which is possibly called Dark Twisted Fantasy. Of course he's also championed Kid Cudi, Common and Lupe Fiasco and worked with Daft Punk, Mos Def, Talib, Nas and Jay-Z.

West's Graduation cover was by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, while his recent Power sleeve is by respected painter George Condo.

On music vids he's worked with Spike Jonze (Flashing Lights and a still unreleased short film), Hype Williams (Stronger & others) and Michel Gondry (Heard Em Say). His spectacular new 90 second promo for single Power is artist Marco Brambilla- who has exhibited at the New York Guggenheim and also directed Stallone/ Snipes action movie Demolition Man back in 1993! Plus you gotta respect Kanye for sampling King Crimson.

WATCH THE POWER PROMO HERE

Serpentine Pavillion

Each year the Serpentine gallery next to Hyde Park commisions a star architect to design a temporary structure on its front lawn. I saw this last week and its quite spectacular. When viewed from the right spot Jean Nouvel's fluid red building dominates your vision and contrasts pretty nicely with the green park around it.

Inside the main building the Wolfgang Tillmans photography exhibition is also worth a half hour browse. MORE INFO ON ALL HERE

Maps and that

Went to the Magnificent Maps exhibition at the British Library a while back and it’s definitely worth an hour of your time.

There are some beautiful, intricate, ancient artefacts in there mixing art, history and politics. And it’s also fun just spotting somewhere near where you live in maps hundreds and hundreds of years old.

Saying all that my favourite was still the above by artist Grayson Perry- who studied art at the same bog standard Essex community college that I went to.

Ofili

If you're at a loose end this weekend you could do worse than catch the Chris Ofili exhibition. Some of it is inspired by hip hop, some is explicit. All of it is beautiful. It's on at the Tate Britain until Sunday only! MORE INFO HERE

The Olympic Tower

I‘m excited by the 2012 tower commissioned for the Olympics and designed by artist Anish Kapoor and engineer Cecil Balmond. (Info & news report here) Not sure about the artists’ impression but then a lot of Kapoor’s work is about how people physically interact with it.

I saw his show at the Royal Academy last year and it was really interesting- playful, funny and kinda mind-boggling. Balmond meanwhile is responsible for the below incredible piece of architecture. China’s CCTV building-

Medieval & Renaissance Galleries

Went to the new Medieval and Renaissance galleries at the V & A at the weekend and they are stunning. There are whole tombs, facades, parts of churches, fountains, statues and stained glass windows. All are pretty incredible, like the massive hall they are housed in. Find out more here....

Banksy Film Coming

Which could be really good or a bit shit. Although as always the graf' artist pre-empts those criticisms in this trailer.

60s Rock Photography

Saw Beatles To Bowie- The 60s Exposed at the National Portrait last week. There are some literally breathtaking photos.

From the manufactured pop of Cliff Richard and Sandie Shaw in the early years through The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, The Stones to Hendrix, Bolan and Bowie's psychedelia and glam. Go see it.

Gilbert & George

After seeing the Jack Freak pictures at the White Cube this weekend I think Gilbert & George may be my favourite artist(s).

I was sceptical about the duo at first. Aside from the sometimes extreme sexual imagery it seems a bit narcissitic to put your face in every image and present yourselves as living sculptures. But after seeing more of their massive prints (check out the room at Tate Britain) I get it.

G&G's new work uses particularly British imagery- including artefacts from the duo's East London endz. There are Union Jacks, war medals, street signs, Evening Standard logos and their trademark bare branches.

The new works are only on show at the gallery's two sites until August 22. So go. I highly recommend it. And I wish I could afford this. £2k plus VAT:

Poor. Old. Tired. Horse.

Saw this exhibition at the ICA and it was real interesting, and free. If I understand right it's all art that includes words, poetry and (often) typography. Sure they explain it better on the website. Highlights included work by Ferdinand Kriwet and Alasdair Gray.

The best thing though is two huge posters by Janice Kerbel taken from her 'Remarkable' series. Check one out below by clicking this in full size and (maybe) reading the words aloud.

Garden And Cosmos

Saw this really cool exhibition last week with my girl CC. There are some beautifully detailed royal paintings from Northern India from the 17th-18th century. I learnt a lot about the life with the Maharajas of Rajastan, the Hindu religion and 'The Absolute.'

The art has never left India until now and is really well presented in the underrated British Museum- which is worth visiting for Norman Foster's stunning glass roof alone.

Ophelia

Discovered Tate Britain is a 15 minute walk from my house this weekend. It was well worth a stroll in the sun if only to see John Everett Millais' breathtaking Ophelia. Find out more here...