There’s no doubt, London has some of the sharpest creative minds around, and I thank my lucky stars, frankly, that I’m now a Londoner.

Work by Millo, Shoreditch, London.

An installation bearing the face of architect Zaha Hadid created by artist Greg Shapter for Domus Tiles, Great Sutton St, London. Hard to see here, but this is actually a 3D installation of tiles that appears comprehensible only when standing in a certain spot across the road.

Work by Phlegm – always slightly unnerving! Normally found under various railway bridges and dark alleys, here at the Howard Griffin Gallery in Shoreditch, London, were a large number of fantastical creatures in ‘The Bestiary’. This immersive and large scale installation in wood, clay and plaster gave me the proper heebie-jeebies…

Used and dirty…?

Mature.

Wow. Just wow.

Me too my friend, Me too… Fair comment on the encroaching retail wrecking of Mare St, Hackney.

Still, a cosy night’s sleep for a homeless tailor…? Boom boom…

So, lots of these faces by street artist Gregos have been appearing in London, Paris – his home turf, and now all over the world apparently. Cast from his own face, showing different moods and humour, they are guaranteed to raise a smile.

Sometimes, great street art appears for just a few hours or a day or so, and as quickly as it appears it fades from view. Like this wonderful piece by Borondo in Hackney Wick. Turned up last Saturday afternoon, but by morning some tool had covered over all of it and replaced it with a rubbish tag.  Arggghhh!! (why?)

Fabulous wood cut prints by Italian artist Umberto Giovannini, on display at Stour Space, Hackney Wick.

Stumbled across this delightful mural on the Whitecross Estate, east London.

These beautiful cityscape illustrations by Laura Jordan are a real pleasure to view. Full of captivating references on the issues facing society today, they combine architectural drawing with illustration in pen, ink and mixed media. She has just opened her own studio/gallery at 273 Hackney Rd – an easy side step on the route between Hackney City Farm and Columbia Rd.

I’m not sure why I like these so much. They are just ordinary scenes of ordinary life in London. But they are beautifully captured in paint. American artist Brett Amory had his first solo show at the Lazarides Gallery, London. Called ‘Twenty Four’, he photographs 24 scenes in the city for one hour at a time, distilling down and capturing the essence of that experience into one representative image.

Brett Amory. Super-intriguing messed up faces…

Striking 3D image on the wall of the uber-trendy Village Underground venue, Shoreditch, London.

This blog post is one of a series of design blog posts by design writer Jackie Hawkins.

The post Art, street art + graffiti in London appeared first on Jackie Hawkins.

Just when you thought you could write off the Southbank, in servitude to encroaching developers, it comes up trumps. Until 4 February you can catch the breathlessly beautiful Landscape Photographer of the Year exhibition at the National Theatre – my pick of the best are featured here.

Photography by Paul Wheeler – Winter Walk, Burnham-on-Sea, East Sussex (above)

Photography by Ian Taylor – Must be an Angel, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear (above)

Photography by David Lyon –  Ferry leaving Newhaven harbour in storm, East Sussex (above)

Photography by David Breen – Rannoch Moor, Scotland (above)

Saunter along the promenade, past the booksellers under Waterloo bridge, up towards the Oxo Tower and you may stumble across a circus performer, practising his handstands and somersaults, falling from a great height down on to the beach of The Thames.

You may also have the good fortune to stumble across the most loquacious busker there is.  A man, so proud of his conquests and fine blues-y voice – he lies on a sun lounger in a silver sparkly sequin jacket, in the middle of Winter, on the banks of the Thames, serenading us all. Worth the giggle for sure. Check it out…

The post The Southbank, London – never fails to delight appeared first on Jackie Hawkins.

Photographer: Susan Smart

The post Drop_Paul Cocksedge at the London Design Festival appeared first on Jackie Hawkins.