World's largest art show "Art Everywhere" launched in London

The world's largest art show was launched on Thursday in London by the artist who designed the album cover to one of the most famous albums in rock and roll history.

Artist Sir Peter Blake, who designed the instantly recognizable cover to The Beatles' 1967 album "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", launched the "Art Everywhere" event in West London this morning.

The "Art Everywhere" event will see huge reproductions of famous paintings and art works chosen by the British public displayed on tens of thousands of advertizing hoards across the country between August 12 and August 25.

Blake launched the event by unveiling a giant reproduction of his painting "The Meeting or Have a Nice Day Mr Hockney" on an outdoor billboard at a shopping center.

The works chosen for reproduction were selected in a popularity vote by the public. Those works are from paintings held in various national collections in British art galleries.

The top five works as chosen by the public are: 1, John William Waterhouse, "The Lady of Shalott" (1888);2,Sir John Everett Millais, "Ophelia" (1851-2);3,Francis Bacon, "Head V1" (1949); 4, John Singer Sargent, "Gassed" (1919); 5, Lucian Freud, "Man's Head (Self Portrait I)" (1963).