Neil Libbert: the faces that came to define an era – in pictures

The National Portrait Gallery’s solo exhibition of photographs by Neil Libbert celebrates his 55 years as an award-winning photojournalist for the Observer, the Guardian and many other publications. So often in the right place at the right time, Libbert has captured many of today’s biggest names at the start – and also at the height – of their careers. Here we tell some of the stories behind these compelling portraits.

Photograph: GEORGE BEST 20 October 1965. Neil Libbert/National Portrait Gallery, London

Olympics 2012 in art: Olafur Eliasson’s swirling light show for the Games

Continuing our series of exclusive artworks in response to the Games, Olafur Eliasson – famous for bringing the sun into the Tate Turbine Hall – gets to work with a torch to pay tribute to the speed and dynamism of Olympians. ‘Light generates action: it is an energy transmitter and as physical as anything you will see in the Games,’ says Eliasson

Bombs, bowlers and babies: Another London at Tate Britain - in pictures

As the Olympics kicks off, Tate Britain is hosting an exhibition of images by international photographers that capture London life between 1930 and 1980. Another London runs from 27 July to 16 September 2012.

This photograph was taken by Wolfgang Suschitzky near Monument Station, London, 1938.

Kilburn Grange Park adventure playground. Photograph: Erect Architecture

Bob & Roberta Smith will be flogging this art slogan at the Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair at Under the Hood at the London’s Truman Brewery on 27 May. Other works on sale will be by Peter Blake and Tracey Emin.

We have a gallery of some the highlight for you to rummage through, here.

This is The Tate Gallery By Tube (1987), by David Booth of the design agency Fine White Line. Take a trip through the best examples of London cartography with a selection of pictures from Mind the Map exhibition at London Transport Museum

The last time I saw paintings as deluded as Damien Hirst’s latest works, the artist’s name was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. A decade ago the son of Libya’s then still very much alive dictator showed sentimental paintings of desert scenes in an exhibition sponsored by fawning business allies. Searching for some kind of parallel to the arrogance and stupidity of Hirst’s still life paintings, I find myself remembering that strange, sad spectacle.

Jonthan Jones’s reviews Damien Hirst’s exhibition Two Weeks One Summer, at White Cube, London. Read the review in full here.

Tracey Emin’s London tube map created for people visiting the captial during the Olympic summer, draws a natural connection.