London has lots to offer the visitor and the resident, from aquariums to oversized fairground rides, natural history and science museums to stunning theatres with world class shows. What most people do not know though is that the capital of England is home to nearly all the art in the country. Yes, the London art gallery experience encompasses around 85 per cent of the country's art in nearly 400 galleries. This is guide to what type of art to find where.
If your idea of art is along the lines of traditional fine art, then chances are that you'll be on the lookout for oil paintings and marble sculptures. For this, a visit to the National Portrait Gallery is highly recommended. It houses some of the finest examples of traditional portrait painting and has a healthy spattering of marble and bronze sculptures including Rodin's Kiss.
This London art gallery also offers a gentle introduction for some more challenging art works from the likes of Martin Creed. For people that believe that the old masters are the only type of art that counts, it is a chance to expose oneself and try to understand the concepts behind more conceptual based works. The annual BP awards are also a great opportunity to access works by new artists.
For a more challenging approach to looking at emerging artists, booking tickets to the Frieze art fair will give the enthusiast an insight into what is likely to be up and coming in the major London art galleries. It is also a perfect opportunity to invest in reasonably priced works, and as such attracts a vast array of celebrities in search of a beautiful bargain. The fair is made up of a number of representative galleries, and there is quite often a healthy spattering from established artists such as Sarah Lucas in amongst less well known artists.
If you are more interested in purchasing art that is of a more traditional ilk, the private London art galleries offer works from new artists and old masters, often their collections feature works from private owners around the world, so there is always a great variety. Expect to find names such as Picasso and Auerbach even in some of the smallest collections. Do not be fooled into thinking all masterpieces are in the big galleries; there are often delightful sketches tucked away in back rooms of some of the more prestigious yet unassuming London art galleries.
