There’s more to Japanese art than calligraphy. Robin Powell uncovers the capital’s edgiest contemporary culture – from bathhouse paintings to an exhibition in a public loo
Like any world-class capital, Tokyo has its fair share of major galleries. The largest national and private collections, such as the National Museum of Modern …

‘An Academy of Investigations’ is a fascinating collective exhibition that begins on Friday at the intimate Madame Lillie’s gallery in Stoke Newington.
The collective comprises five London-based artists – Ambrosine Allen, Jonathan Gildersleeves, Amy Green, Colin Marsh and Uma Mahadeva. Their work is very much reflected in their choice of …

Not feeling inspired by any of our previous Valentine’s day suggestions? Read on for more quirky romantic ideas featuring tea, tango and tigers…

I heart LDN by amanda farah, courtesy of the Londonist flickr pool.
 
Do a little dance
Highbury Roundhouse is putting on a Valentines themed dinner and dance on …

Beloved centre of London’s alternative art scene for a decade is set for demolition, but six-metre Banksy mural to be preserved
Pete Doherty used to host its poetry nights, the band Hot Chip formed there, and artists from Banksy to Gavin Turk have adorned its walls and propped up its bar.
But …

From cleaver-wielding suffragettes to a gun-toting delusional Edwardian, the National Portrait Gallery has played host to more than portraiture in its 150-year history
They are some of the forgotten stories from the last 150 years of the National Portrait Gallery: an Edwardian murder and suicide, a cleaver-wielding suffragette and a big …

Vincent van Gogh’s bilingual letters to Theo; A brief history of South Finchley; How to get the mix in a pill right
Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo were Dutch, so why did they ­usually write to each other in French?
It is understandable to write in French when the …

Here’s our quick guide to the new art, theatre, dance and exhibitions on offer in London this week, and a handy reminder for those that are closing.

Defending the Caveman opens in the West End tonight
 
Be There First: London Shows Opening
First up, Defending the Caveman opens at the Leicester Square Theatre …

Tate Britain, London
The retrospective of Chris Ofili’s paintings now filling several galleries at Tate Britain is exactly what you might expect – opulent, glittery, dazzling, gorgeous. If you have seen even one of his works you can probably extrapolate the massed effects of 60 more. But what is surprising, and …

Is there bad art lurking in your home? Did you paint something at some point that does you no credit? Was that whimsical purchase at the car boot sale a misguided error? Sieze the day – dispose of your failed, hated, awful art works and help create something strange …

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) History Month, the Schools Out initiative to help fight homophobic bullying that had its pre-launch at the British Museum last November, is back this month for the 6th year. This means that throughout February, a varied selection of (mostly) free events (over 200 of …