Fresh on the canvass

11 April 2012

John Piper In The 1930s: Abstraction On The Beach More than 60 years ago, the threat of war led this pioneer of British modern art to renounce abstraction as a 'luxury' and instead create his own acutely contemporary form of representation. Through paintings, watercolours and photographs, this exhibition celebrates the centenary of John Piper's birth and charts his voyage of self-discovery, beginning with the gouaches and collages that lent a Cubist twist to the festive, fish'n'chips atmosphere of his Sussex coast home, and culminating in his post-war work as a theatre and stained glass designer.

Tue 1 Apr-Sun 22 Jun, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, SE21 (020-8693 5254).

Terry Frost: Recent Paintings Bold, mischievous and radiant with punchy, life-enhancing colour, Terry Frost's paintings are a firmly established British institution, but it was not until he was captured as a prisoner during the Second World War that he first picked up a paintbrush. An ex-serviceman's grant saw him through a degree at Camberwell School Of Art, and he has since gone on to show in galleries across the world, driven by a clear and uncomplicated passion for paint.

Confronting Views: Nine Photographers On The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Photographers from Robert Capa to Don McCullin have risked their lives to bring home the horrors of war, but the days when people believed that a picture never lied are long gone, and new powers of manipulation continue to blur the boundaries between photographic fact and digital fiction. The tragically well-rehearsed Israeli-Palestinian conflict has generated its own repertoire of visual cliches, but through the work of nine international photographers this exhibition aims not only to present a balanced view, but also consider the role of the camera in battle zones. Wed 2 Apr-Sun 4 May, The Photographers' Gallery, 5 & 8 Great Newport Street, WC2 (020 7831 1772).

Restoration Lives: Samuel Pepys And His Circle Raconteur, serial seducer and original London diarist, Sam Pepys lived through dramatic times, and to mark the tercentenary of his death, portraits of his many friends and colleagues have been dug out from storage. Among them are Sir Christopher Wren, a selection of navy associates, some actresses and painters. There is also a bust of his much-cheated-on wife, Elizabeth. Mon 31 Mar-Sun 28 Sep, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, WC2 (020-7306 0055).

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