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British public choose works for world’s largest art show

Britain will host the world’s largest art show, displaying the nation’s favorite works in thousands of sites across the country.

John William Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott, 1988. Tate Britain, London

For two weeks, small villages and big cities across the UK will become the world’s largest gallery.

Art Everywhere has already been officially launched by Sir Peter Blake, creator of the Beatles’ famous Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. He unveiled his work The Meeting or Have a Nice Day Mr Hockney on the giant outdoor billboard at Westfield shopping centre in West London.

But from 12 to 25 August, posters featuring the country’s favorite artworks will be on public display in 22,000 different locations. High streets, bus stops and supermarkets will hold poster replicas of 57 works as chosen by the public from the national collection.

The most popular is John William Waterhouse’s pre-Rephaelite 1888 masterpiece The Lady of Shallot, which was inspired by the Alfred Lord Tennyson poem first published half a century earlier. However, despite a 19th century painting triumphing in the public poll, the list includes pieces by artists as diverse as LS Lowry, Francis Bacon and Tracey Emin RA.

Top ten British masterpieces as chosen by the British public

1. John William Waterhouse, The Lady of Shalott, 1888
Tate Britain, London

2. John Everett Millais, Ophelia, 1851–52
Tate Britain, London

3. Francis Bacon, Head VI, 1949
Arts Council Collection

4. John Singer Sargent, Gassed, 1919
Imperial War Museum, London

5. Lucian Freud, Man’s Head (Self Portrait I), 1963
Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

6. JMW Turner, The Fighting Temeraire, 1839
National Gallery, London

7. Alfred Wallis, Five Ships – Mount’s Bay, 1928
Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge

8. L.S. Lowry, Going to the Match, 1953
The Professional Footballers’ Association

9. James Whistler, Nocturne: Blue and Gold – Battersea Bridge, c.1872–5
Tate Britain, London

10. Cornelia Parker, Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View, 1991
Tate Collection

For the comprehensive list follow the link.