Draft three of feature.

This may now be the finished article. You can see how I've tightend up the intro..

Feature idea:

A bluffer’s guide to London’s Art

You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a major in how to gaze coquettishly to enjoy what London has to offer.

London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern to the Tate Britain and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.

Most Londoners, it seems, have had a dip in a few galleries, but I’m sure you’ll agree that the range of art available is somewhat overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.

The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.

The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. It houses work by such renowned artists as Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. A new exhibition which is part of a BP art display is being launched on September 20th in which Emin’s newest collection is to be included. Also showing is a Futurism exhibition.

The Tate Britain – the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling - houses modern art, but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).

If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to other major works such Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman with a Rosary, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.

If historical and public figures - rather than artists and the intricacies of painting - are more your thing, head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.

Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk).

The Victoria and Albert Gallery is a final must-see. There’s currently a free Baroque Art exhibition being held until July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Currently on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo. You can get there via South Kensington. Entrance is free.

The steal of the whole London art scene, though, may be Guernica – a Picasso painted in 1937 which reflects the tragic comedy of war. This is currently being shown in the White Chapel Gallery.

More information:

Key artists to look out for:

Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.

Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the White Chapel Gallery.

Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.

The jargon/the –isms:

Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.

Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive

Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.

Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.

Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.

Where to find the galleries:

Tate Modern: Bankside, London, SE1 9TG
Tate Britain: Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG
National Gallery: Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
National Portrait Gallery: St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE
Victoria and Albert: Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL
White Chapel Gallery: 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX