Keep your eyes peeled...

John William Waterhouse, The Lady of Shalott, 1888

As part of 'Art Everywhere,' 57 masterpieces have been selected through a public vote to appear on 22,000 billboards, bus stops and other sites as part of a nationwide open-air art exhibition. Paintings by artists such as David Hockney and Lucien Freud will be on display across the country between 12-25 August.

The founder Richard Reed said 90% of the population are likely to see the posters saying, "if we can't get the average guy in the street to go into a gallery, maybe we can get the art from the gallery into the street." A billboard is democratic and for everyone though is usually just there to sell things. The aim of this project is primarily for the posters to get noticed and to bring a smile to peoples faces, people don't have to buy anything just look.

'The Lady of Shalott' by Victorian artist John William Waterhouse was the most popular choice in the online vote with works by Francis Bacon, John Singer Sargent, Lucien Freud, JMW Turner and LS Lowry making the top 10.

Lucian Freud, Man's head, Self Portrait, 1963

In order for Art Everywhere to happen the advertising industry has donated poster sites, with other costs being met by The Tate, The Art Fund and a public funding campaign. So far the campaign has raised £133,000 of its £200,000 target.

See how many you can spot over the next couple of weeks. Feel free to keep me posted (forgive the pun) by writing a comment in the comments section below this post.

Here is one I spotted in Sainsbury's car park this morning...

Sir Henry Raeburn, Revd Robert Walker
Skating on Duddingston Loch, 1795

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, Sou Fujimoto, 2013

With the recent heat wave, many of you may have already spotted the latest Serpentine Gallery Pavilion while picnicking in Hyde park. A couple of weeks ago, after a short stint on one of the Serpentines pedalos, I stopped off to have a look. 

The temporary structure is designed by the Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, the 13th (and at 41 the youngest) architect to do so. The annual Pavilion commission is one of the worlds most ambitious architectural programmes - after seeing the 12 previous designs online I really wish I had seen more of them in the flesh, there has been quite a range of funky looking structures!

Sou Fujimoto is becoming well known for his light and delicate structures and is widely acknowledged as one of the worlds most up and coming architects. Mainly inspired by organic structures his signature buildings seem to inhabit a space between nature and artificiality, re-inventing our relationship with the built environment.

The light and airy construction occupies around 350 square metres of lawn in front of the gallery. Comprised of layers of 20mm steel poles a kind of lattice is created, giving it a lightweight and semi-transparent appearance that allows it to blend like a cloud into the landscape. Mr Fujimoto wanted it to be a multi-purpose and social space, this is clearly demonstrated by the Fortum and Mason cafe situated inside, encouraging visitors to go in and interact with the space. I highly recommend a glass of rosé upon it on a summers afternoon.

The pavilion will be there for the next three months.