Freudian

'What do I ask of a painting? I ask it to astonish, disturb, seduce, convince.'

- Lucian Freud

As Londoners we are spoilt for choices of great art exhibitions, especially this quarter of the year, with David Hockney at the RA and Picasso at the Tate Britain and so on. But for certain, the Lucian Freud Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery is the one that I will be frequenting for the next few months to come.

With more than 100 early and late works of the great British artist, the exhibition is unmissable. I spent a good few hours wandering, listening to the audio guide, and studying the paintings. The way that Freud so uniquely and eloquently captured human life and flesh, the contour of naked bodies and emotions - it overwhelms you with its disquieting silence, leaving you in awe yet unsettled.

The exhibition closes on 27 May 2012.

Musée Rodin

'It is the artist who is truthful and it is photography which lies, for in reality time does not stop...'

- Auguste Rodin

A visit to the museum filled with summer roses and sculptures. How did sculptors manage to instil vitality and sensuality into a piece of bronze, transforming it to exhibit the most fluid movements, the most intense emotions, the most beautiful form of life?

I recommend the musée and jardin for everyone - even if you are only in Paris for a day!

79 Rue de Varenne 75007

Museums

Metropolitan Museum of Art: the archive of every possible art form

Guggenheim Museum: constant flux of people and modern art, with an impressive collection of Kandinsky (they said no pictures inside and were very strict about it, having guards standing all over the place - God knows how I managed to actually take out my film slr and shot!)

moMA: for my beloved Matisse.

Unphotographable - Whitney Museum: for Edward Hopper and paintings of empty diners, à la My Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

Missed - Jewish Museum: for a major exhibition of Maira Kalman, my favourite illustratrice.