REVIEW FOR THE ART FUND 1

The 2012 Taylor Wessing Photography Prize yet again showcases some of the world’s most exciting photography talent. The exhibition is a feast for the eyes; it bustles excitedly with the faces of both visitors and portrait subjects and is refreshing in its presentation of both the familiar and unknown. Portraits of athletes, writers and artists share an equal stage with the anonymous, weird and wonderful, such as second-prize winner Jennifer Pattison’s bold shot, ‘Lynne, Brighton’. Matthew Niederhauser’s portrait of controversial Chinese artist Ai-Weiwei is stark and relevant at the entrance to the exhibition, an apt welcome into a dynamic and contemporary show. National Portrait Gallery until February 2013 

HOLLYWOOD/SOUTH KENSINGTON

If you haven't seen the new, glamorous exhibition at the V&A, where the hell have you been? In fact who are you? Well to be fair, you might just be someone who didn't want to pay the ever-so-slightly extortionate ticket price. However, if like me you are savvy enough to own a National Art Pass (getting you 50% off), you can moonwalk into this exhibition backwards with a knowing grin.

And what a feast of a show! Highlights for me were seeing the original Darth Vader costume (which by the way is huge), Marilyn Monroe's fly-away white dress and trying to casually snuggle up to the jacket Heath Ledger wore in Brokeback Mountain (shout out to great V&A security for disciplining me on that one).

 The best thing about this exhibition is that it is curated really, REALLY well. Well done to Professor Deborah Nadoolman and her team. Nice moody lighting and suitably epic music too! Go V&A, bring on Bowie in March...

© V&A IMAGES