While many are placing their proverbial bets on who will win Best Single, Album, Group and Male and Female Artist at the Brit Awards 2012, we're most excited about seeing the actual trophies that have been designed by legendary British pop artist Sir Peter Blake.

Blake is the perfect person to design the Brit award, considering that his name and work has become synonymous with the very best of British music. Blake famously designing the album sleeve for The Beatles 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club', the sleeve for the original Band Aid 'Do They Know It's Christmas' single, Paul Weller's 'Stanley Road' album and Oasis's 2006 Greatest Hits collection 'Stop The Clocks'.

This is the second year  the Brits have asked a leading British creative icon to design the trophy, following Dame Vivienne Westwood's success last year.

He told the BBC:

"The actual shape was designed the year before so I had to work with it. Vivienne Westwood did it last year and used a Union Jack motif so the red, white and blue is like a section taken through the middle of the flag.

The motifs at the bottom are just things I was thinking about and then the print of BRIT in big letters just to show what it is, so it's simple and clear

I always find the initial idea is almost always the best, that's how I work, and the simpler, the better is often best. It's simple and, I hope, effective."

The Brit Awards take place on 21 February and  will include performances from Mumford and Sons, Adele, Rihanna, Take That, Arcade Fire, Tinie Tempah, Cee Lo Green and Plan B.

Sir Peter Blake's highly popular Homage to Rauschenberg series has now been fully released. You can view all prints in the Raushenberg series as well as other Sir Peter Blake signed limited edition prints including the below 'T is for The Beatles' here.

 

 

The Father of Pop Art Andy Warhol seems just as popular and relevant today as he was during his lifetime, 1928-1987.

Writing in the Miami Herald, Jordan Levin recently remarked: “The white-wigged godfather of pop art and celebrity culture, who passed away in 1987, is the subject of three exhibits and an influence on two others at various events around Art Basel Miami Beach.”

Listing various screenings and exhibitions happening as part of the Miami Beach art show - which runs from December 6 - 9 and is one of the most prestigious art shows in America - Levin says “That there is still so much interest in Warhol is a testament to an importance that seems to increase with time”.


“While Warhol is important in the contemporary art world as a groundbreaking pop artist, his biggest influence may be as the man who presciently opined that “in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes” and more or less created the notion that self-declared fabulosity and individuality are enough to make you famous. In the age of reality shows, tweeting and viral videos, Warhol is everybody’s godfather.”



Levin’s comments coincide with the announcement that 80 works by the American artist will be on show at the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London next year during the Olympics.

This exhibition will feature some of Warhol’s most iconic print portfolios as well as lesser known sets. Portfolios on display will include the Endangered Species Portfolio, the Flowers Portfolio (pictured above), the Muhammad Ali Portfolio and the Myths Portfolio produced six years before the artist’s death in 1987.

The Andy Warhol Portfolios: Life and Legends exhibition will run 30 June – 16 September, 2012.