I love linocuts by Cyril Power and Sybil Andrews

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Linoleum – once every home had at least one floor covered with it – is hardly the medium  associated with striking images like the ones illustrated here.

You’ll have to take my word for it, though: without

See a slideshow of Power and Andrews linocuts

the muddy mixture of ground cork, solidified linseed oil and rosin rolled onto a coarse canvas backing – it was patented by its

English inventor Frederick Walton in 1860 – the prints might never have been conceived.

I remember making linocut prints in school art lessons (they were pathetic) but no one knows precisely when serious artists hit on the idea.

Theoretically, it could have started from the date of its invention, but apparently,

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Buying for love

The poor lass stood on the doorstep like a waif and stray trying to sell us pictures from a folder under her arm.

She said her name was Miya and in perfect English – but with perhaps a Polish or Croat accent – she explained that she was from a group of young artists who were setting up a not-for-profit gallery in Liverpool.

They needed funds and were going door to door to try to raise capital by selling some of their art.

It got me to thinking how great it would be to have the ability – and spare cash – to be able to talent-spot up and coming young artists and buy their paintings?Read more »

But is it art?

A new name on the scene -- to me a least -- is Tino Sehgal who by his own admission -- actually a press release from the Institute of Contemporary Arts -- "fulfils the conventions of a visual artwork without physically producing anything".

Sehgal's latest gimmick, sorry exhibition, relies on an individual paying £25 at the shop at the ICA in return for a word of the artist's choice. The manager of the shop then whispers the word in your ear and you become the proud owner of the work of art. Or should that be word of art?

Word has it that five people have already parted with the cash since the exhibition opened at the beginning of the month.

Word also has it that the London-born artist now living in Berlin has sold one of his "works" to the Tate. It's called "This is Propaganda" and will be performed next month.

When a visitor walks into the gallery, a woman dressed as a gallery assistant will turn to the wall and sing, "This is propaganda, you know, you know" twice. The Tate declined to reveal what it paid, but it is believed to be a five-figure sum.

Nice work if you can get it.