A number of sculptures have been erected as part of Sculpture in the City 2013. I went up to the slightly dizzying heights of the 27th floor of Tower 42 and looked down on the heart of the City where they are situated.

We could see chairs appearing to fall off the roof of one of the buildings below, but this was to be explained later as we headed back to the ground for a tour from Sonia Solicari, head of Guildhall Art Gallery, who suggested pieces for the project.

This project shows the importance of art and culture in the economic and social life of London. Located in the dramatic surroundings of the eastern high-rise cluster, an area which sits so close to cultural areas such as Shoreditch yet is dominated by tall buildings and businesspeople. These sculptures work to enrich the streets and enliven public spaces for workers, residents and visitors alike.

The third year of this free outdoor exhibition sees the largest line-up yet, with nine contemporary art installations by world famous artists. First we were taken to the iconic Love sculpture by Robert Indiana. This sculpture, which can be found in cities throughout the world, works as an entrance to the sculpture site. This is the first of two pieces of work by Indiana, as round the corner sits his number sculpture, One Through Zero.

Next we headed to the base of the Gherkin (30 St Mary Axe) where pre-historic creatures now roam. This piece by Jake & Dinos Chapman, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, features three dinosaurs. The creatures are large, up to eight metres in length and seven metres high, but appear dwarfed by the architecture of city.

As you walk along the pavement Antony Gormley’s leaning human figures, Parallel Field, will become part of the crowd, and next to this five spiralling stainless steel ribbons unravel from the ground forming String Quintet, created by Shirazeh Houshiary. Just around the corner sits Ryan Gander’s large and sparkling, More Really Shiny Things that Don’t Mean Anything. This piece has already attracted a lot of attention – so definitely one not to miss! Beside this are two pieces by Keith Coventry; Bench and Mare Street, E8. These pieces were created from a disused bench and decaying sapling off the streets of East London.

Finally, the piece I found most interesting were the chairs which we had earlier looked down on from above. Now looking up at them, Richard Wentworth’s Twenty-Four Hour Flag features several red chairs jutting out the top of the Hiscox Building. The intent is to encourage people to look up, as he once said “The best place in cities is the skyline. It’s where ‘we’ meet ‘nature’. Look up!” The artist has subverted the intended use, but interestingly Sonia pointed out chairs are seen as meeting spaces at all levels as you look through the windows of surrounding offices.  

The sculptures will be officially unveiled on 20 June, and remain for one year. Pick up a leaflet and take yourself on a guided tour – otherwise don’t forget to look out for them as you walk around the City of London.

For more information visit the City of London website

 Discover more art in London

Step into a parallel universe at the Hayward Gallery this summer where mavericks, visionaries and outsiders have created an untraditional perspective of the world we live in, through art.

The Alternative Guide to the Universe exhibition comes as part of the Southbank Centre’s Festival of Neighbourhood. I went along to the press view, to delve into the world of eccentric art, before it officially opened today.

The exhibition focuses on individuals who depart from the accepted way of thinking and re-imagine the rules of culture and science, featuring contributions from self-taught artists and architects, fringe physicists, dreamers and visionary inventors who have created an artistic landscape that stretches to the far horizons of our imagination. Ralph Rugoff, director of the Hayward Gallery, described the exhibition as “going outside the parameters of the so-called art world … going outside the parameters of the so-called outsider art world.”

Through paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and architectural models; alternative calendars, a detailed human nervous system, scientific charts, engineering plans, functioning robots and blueprints for cities of the future and the evolution of human consciousness are created.

What I found particularly thought-provoking was that this art isn’t produced to purely be aesthetically pleasing, but that its creators are motivated by a wide range of concerns. William Scott, for example, worked on a planning project to see his hometown of San Francisco rebuilt to be “spiritually and physically transformed” believing this change will come about from encounters between UFO’s and members of his local Baptist Church, enabling people to reinvent their lives.

Several photographers in the exhibition explore fictional identities and alter egos, including a homeless artist from Chicago, Lee Godie, who used photo-booths to create hundreds of self-portraits, portraying herself in different guises.

Most fascinating was the remote control child robot you can see wandering around the exhibition, created by Wu Yulu to chase people. Wu began creating the robots with specific abilities, such as cleaning and washing the dishes, with rubbish he found near his farm.

And that’s not all, upstairs is the Museum of Everything, a world famous wandering space for undiscovered artists of modern time. In keeping with the reinvention of reality, a number of sculptures, photographs and film are dedicated to visionary builder, Nek Chand. He has spent more than 50 years creating the world’s greatest outdoor art environment, the “Rock Garden”, outside Chandigarh, India, which is formed completely from scrap materials covering 20 acres.

If you want to explore the art further, you can take part in one of the tours, where you will visit the exhibition in the company of artists, scholars, curators and writers, who will present their own views on the artwork

Whether you are an art fanatic or not, this exhibition is sure to make you think outside of the conventional and question the definition of “normal” art.

Alternative Guide to the Universe at the Hayward Gallery until 26 August.

Guest post by Alternative London Tours

London is home to some of the best street art on the planet! Something new pops up on an almost daily basis as artists from across the globe constantly add to the capital’s incredible outdoor gallery.

If you stop a hundred people on the street and ask them to name a street artist, most would say Banksy. That’s understandable as he has without a doubt changed the perception of street art and graffiti more than any other individual. But how many people could name a second, or even a third? Probably not many.

As great as Banksy is, there aren’t many of his works left in London and those that are can easily be found on a map. We want to show you what’s happened since Banksy and what’s happening right now in London. You can see a few of our favourite street artists above.

Don’t assume however, that these incredible works are always easy to find. Pieces are regularly painted over by other artists or cleaned off by the council (although almost all pieces are painted with the consent of building owners these days). Part of the beauty of this art form is that for the most part, the best bits are tucked away, hidden on back streets and created for the benefit of those who are dedicated to seeking them out during their short lifespan.

Alternative London is London’s original street art tour provider. Our walking tours and bike tours are led by local people closely connected with the scene – including some of the artists themselves. The tours go much deeper than the art on the walls by giving a historical and cultural context to the art and the areas in which it is created. We also offer street art workshops so you can learn to create your very own spray paint masterpiece!

(Images courtesy of www.hookedblog.co.uk London’s longest running street art blog – documenting this ephemeral art form every day).

London Vintage Kitchen

Combining two of the city’s favourite trends – namely pop-up dining and a retro lifestyle – the London Vintage Kitchen hosts glamourous dining events that make you long for a time machine. Their next event takes diners back to the Bohemian world of Paris in 1913, and offers them a four-course menu of period dishes – served by a troupe of butlers – alongside Pernod Absinthe cocktails. After dinner in the candlelit secret location, guests can dance the night away to ‘newfangled’ jazz music. Tickets are £37. 25 May

Concrete Fragments, Shoreditch 

Want to get an exclusive look at tomorrow’s big names in contemporary art? Head to this exclusive two day show by Morgan Concrete Art Advisory London, which brings together seven young international artists for a cutting-edge exhibition featuring both static and performance art. Catch the opening night from 6pm to 11pm on Friday, or the day viewing from 11am to 6pm on Saturday. Entry is free. 24-25 May

IncrEdibles Festival at Kew Gardens

Learn about surprising sources of food at this fun festival, which explores the huge range of edible plants growing at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Not only can you attend a variety of interesting talks and workshops, but you can also enjoy the festival’s more frivolous side at the Rose Garden Tea Party and the Picnic Garden. A highlight will undoubtedly be the Tutti Frutti Boating Lake by renowned jelly-makers Bompass and Parr, which allows visitors to sail across a giant fruit salad to a pineapple island. Entry is £16 for adults; check the website for details of individual events. 25 May – 3 Nov

The Book Club’s May Film Hop

Shoreditch hotspot The Book Club presents an innovative take on the cinema experience this bank holiday weekend. Guests at their outdoor film screenings wear wireless headphones, which not only guarantees great sound but also means you can dance, drink and party along to the film. Three classic films, Grease, Dirty Dancing and Purple Rain, will be shown, and dance experts will be on hand before the screenings to show you the all-important moves. Tickets are £15. 25-27 May 

Foodies Festival at Hampton Court Palace

A food festival fit for a king, the Foodies Festival at Hampton Court Palace is a haven for the culinarily curious. Not only will TV chefs be demonstrating their skills, but you can also sample dishes from popular London restaurants, learn about new products and even take the kids for a cookery lesson. A day ticket costs £15 for adults. 25-27 May

The Star of Bethnal Green Street Party

To celebrate its fifth birthday, the Star of Bethnal Green is hosting a street party at which you can enjoy popular London street food, DJs and live entertainment that includes live graffiti. From 2pm to 9pm the party also features children’s entertainment, including a bouncy castle and face painting, then it moves inside the pub for more revelry until 2am. Entry is free. 27 May

More London events

This weekend sees a couple of unique London events at which you can help a good cause by having fun – what could be better? There are also a couple of great art events, plus a chance to party Cymru style on St David’s Day.

Tiger Tracks at St Pancras International

Head to St Pancras International Station for the ‘world’s biggest tiger event‘, which aims to highlight the plight of the endangered wild tiger. Inside the magnificent station you’ll find tiger-themed activities, music and entertainment, as well as a special photographic exhibition. The station’s shops and eateries will also be getting involved, and you can find out more about the festival’s special events on the Save Wild Tigers website. 1-21 Mar

St David’s Day, various venues

Taking place on 1 March every year, St David’s Day is the national day of Wales. You might see people wearing a daffodil or leek in celebration of Welsh national pride, and there are lots of fun events in London at which you can join in with the festivities. Check out the St David’s Day Dinner at Guildhall, the fantastic London Welsh Male Voice Choir in Dartford (2 Mar) or a medley of Welsh entertainment at Loose Cannon in the City. 1 Mar

Art13 London at Olympia

Billed as ‘the most exciting new art fair launch in a decade’, Art13 - organised by the people behind Art HK – will bring 129 international art galleries under the same roof in Olympia’s Grand Hall. Thousands of artworks, including painting, photography, sculpture and prints, will be on display and prices start from just £100. For those wishing to make a day of it, the exclusive Fortnum and Mason Champagne Bar & Restaurant should be a delightful place for a spot of afternoon tea. Get two-for-one tickets to Art13. 1-3 Mar

The Wine March

If there was ever a good excuse to drink wine, this is it. Raising money to build water projects in poverty-stricken areas of the developing world, the 2Water Wine March is a five mile walk along the Thames, with stops for wine tasting along the way. Led by the Three Wine Men – TV wine experts Oz Clark, Olly Smith and Tim Atkin MW – the march starts with a glass of wine at Vinopolis, before heading east via Gordon Ramsay’s The Narrow to Canary Wharf gastropub The Gun. Tickets are £15 and include a glass of wine at each stop, with all proceeds going to the 2Water charity. 3 Mar

Angela Williams – An Hour with Audrey Hepburn at the Heartbreak Gallery

Head to the aptly named Heartbreak Gallery to see stunning photographs of Audrey Hepburn, many of which are on display for the first time. Taken at the Ritz in 1964, the photographs capture the actress’s innate glamour, charisma and beauty, and are sure to have you longing for a bygone era. Follow this with a look at Williams’ snaps of other 60s icons, displayed in the adjoining room. Entry is free. 27 Feb – 31 Mar 

More events in London

London will be awash with colour this weekend: not only does Sunday see the vibrant Chinese New Year celebrations taking over Trafalgar Square, but Kew Gardens will also be filled with a rainbow of orchids. Elsewhere, you can see some of the world’s oldest art, take the whole family dancing or watch James McAvoy star in the Scottish play.

Ice Age Art: Arrival of the Modern Mind at the British Museum

Learn about the beginnings of art at this fascinating exhibition, which brings together works of Ice Age art from across Europe. Created more than 20,000 years ago, the works of portraiture and sculpture demonstrate the evolution of figurative art and humans’ enduring ability for creative expression. Not only does the exhibition contain striking works of ancient art, but modern masterpieces by artists such as Picasso, Henry Moore and Matisse are also displayed to demonstrate themes that span millennia. Adult tickets are £10. Until 26 May

Orchids at Kew Gardens

Kew’s Princess of Wales Conservatory is filled with an unseasonal burst of colour this month, as it hosts a four week long celebration of orchids. The glorious plants are arranged in a variety of captivating displays, with a centrepiece that pays tribute to the majestic giant water lily. Adult tickets are £14.50; children 16 and under are admitted free of charge. Until 3 Mar

Chinese New Year in Trafalgar Square

Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake on Sunday with a colourful parade and celebrations that will light up the West End. London’s Chinese New Year celebrations are the world’s largest outside China and centre around a lively stage in Trafalgar Square, from which fireworks will be released at the end of the day. Don’t miss the parade to Chinatown’s Rupert Street, which leaves the square at 10am. 10 Feb

Macbeth at Trafalgar Studios

Bafta-winning actor James McAvoy, famous for starring in films such as Atonement, Wanted and X-Men: First Class, takes to the stage as Macbeth in a new production of Shakespeare’s renowned tragedy. The play follows the Scottish Lord Macbeth in his murderous quest for power, and is considered one of the bard’s darkest plays. Tickets start at £10. Until 27 Apr

Family Barn Dance at Cecil Sharp House

Deal with your children’s half-term high spirits at this energetic afternoon of British country dancing. Commencing at 3pm, the barn dance features live music and a caller to guide you through the lively steps. Tickets start from £3 and adults must be accompanied by children, see the website for full details. 10 Feb

The View from the Shard

From Friday you’ll be able to view London from Europe’s tallest building, as the View from the Shard opens for business. A ticket allows you access to the the building’s highest floors, from which you can enjoy a 40km-wide view over the city and its environs. Don’t forget to pay close attention to the displays on your way up – you might see a few familiar faces in surprising situations. Adult tickets start from £29.95.

Manet: Portraying Life at the Royal Academy of Arts

See the first major exhibition of Manet’s portraiture at the Royal Academy, which brings together works from around the world to highlight the artist’s skill in this complex field. This unique exhibition features more than 50 paintings, which depict everything from Manet’s friends and relatives to popular society figures of his day. For those looking to make a weekend of it, the nearby Athenaeum Hotel’s Manet Experience package offers a perfect combination of culture and luxury. Until 14 Apr

RAF Photographer of the Year 2012, at the RAF Museum

See stunning images of Air Force life at the RAF Photographer of the Year exhibition. The competition is now in its 23rd year and attracted more than 900 entries in 2012, depicting everything from life during overseas operations to the RAF’s world-class equipment. Not only can you see photographs by winner Corporal Mike Jones and many others, but you can also explore the rest of this fascinating museum, which features military aircraft displays, a 4D theatre and a chance to learn more about RAF history. Entry to the museum and exhibition is free.  Until 15 Apr

Snowdrop Days, Chelsea Physic Garden

Admire 10,000 newly-planted snowdrops in the Chelsea Physic Garden, which hosts this stunning celebration of the delicate white flower. As well as the garden displays, you can examine different varieties up close in the Snowdrop Theatre, or buy your own from the Chelsea Physic Garden shop. The Snowdrop Days are accompanied by programme of events that includes guided walks, lectures and workshops. Adult tickets are £9. Until 10 Feb

London Dungeon Car Boot Sale

Why exit through the gift shop when you can take the attraction home with you? Anyone who has enjoyed the deliciously terrifying delights of the London Dungeon will be delighted by the news that, on 3 February, the Dungeon will be selling off props from its old location at the Pimlico Car Boot Sale. You can purchase everything from cut-price period costumes to ghoulish fake body parts at this relocation sale, which precedes the start of the attraction’s new reign of terror at the Southbank in March. 3 Feb, from 11.30am

More events in London

The first official painting of the Duchess of Cambridge will go on show to the public at the National Portrait Gallery from this afternoon.

The Duchess was involved in selecting artist Paul Emsley, who won the BP Portrait Award in 2007, to paint the portrait, which took three and a half months to complete.

What do you think of the picture?

As well as being a fantastic year for sport, 2012 was a great year for art exhibitions in London. We’ve enjoyed blockbuster shows such as David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts, Damien Hirst at Tate Modern and Lucian Freud at the National Portrait Gallery.

Here are five exhibitions to look out – and book ahead – for in 2013.

Manet: Portraying Life, Royal Academy of Arts: The Royal Academy hosts the first-ever UK exhibition devoted to Edouard Manet’s portraiture. 26 Jan-14 Apr

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective, Tate Modern: See 125 of the best paintings and sculptures by Roy Lichtenstein, known for his bright, comic strip-style works. 21 Feb-27 May

Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum, British Museum: Major display of objects excavated from two Roman cities buried by a catastrophic eruption in AD 79. 28 Mar-29 Sep

Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life, Tate Britain: This exhibition of Lowry landscapes is the first big London show devoted to the artist since his death in 1976. 26 Jun-20 Oct

Paul Klee, Tate Modern: Tate Modern charts Paul Klee’s complex, colourful drawings and paintings alongside the events that happened during his lifetime. 15 Oct-9 Mar

Which London art exhibitions are you looking forward to in 2013? Let us know in the comments below.

Having just returned from a three-week trip to northern India, the British Library‘s latest exhibition makes me all nostalgic.

It is the first comprehensive look at the art of the Mughals, a dynasty whose empire spanned much of the Indian subcontinent during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As Muslims from Persia who ruled over a Hindu majority, the Mughals did not crush their Indian subjects, but fused their artistic skills and resources together, producing iconic creations like the Taj Mahal.

On my visit to India, it was impossible to visit any place in the romantic desert state of Rajasthan, or even in hectic and maddening Delhi, without stumbling across art and architecture that tells the story of the Mughals and their power struggles, romance and deep regard for the arts, as well as their eventual decline when the British came along in the 1800s.

Building an Empire

You’re bound to recognise the subject of this drawing in the exhibition, created in 1812-15. The Taj Mahal is one of the most well-known monuments in the world, and I’m happy to say it deserves its reputation as the most beautiful. The Mughals were prolific builders of forts, palaces and monuments and this legacy marks local people today – the Taj Mahal is maintained by descendants of the original 20,000 craftspeople who worked on its site in Agra for 22 years to create the breathtakingly symetrical building, a monument for Mumtaz Mahal, the late queen of the emperor Shah Jahan.

Fathers and Sons

Emperor Shah Jahan, famous for building the Taj Mahal, is pictured in this painting greeting his son Aurangzeb at the court or durbar in 1650-1655. Court rituals such as this demonstrate the complex hierarchy of life at court, but just a few years later Aurangzeb overthrew his father and imprisoned him for the rest of his life in Agra Fort, where he could only gaze at the Taj Mahal from a distance.

Colonialism

One of the first successful British missions to India was that of the ambassador Sir Thomas Roe. His journal entries from 1616 make a rare appearance in the British Library exhibition. Roe was presented to the fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir on 10 January 1616 and described him as “very merrie and joyfull” in the journal.

Final Days

Monuments like Delhi’s Red Fort, pictured in this painting, are legacies of Mughal creativity but also tell the story of Britain and India. This artwork was created in the dying days of the dynasty 1846. In 1857, the last Mughal emperor was dethroned here by the British.

Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire is at the British Library until 2 April. Tickets are £9 with reductions for concessions, seniors and students.