Wednesday 11 February (6:20pm)

@ National Film Theatre, South Bank, SE1 (020.7928.3232) Tube: Embankment/Waterloo

This week, in conjunction with Dan Graham's Rock My Religion, sees the NFT's not-to-be missed film event Artists' Films on Music Culture, a collection of films that crosses the divide between arthouse film and contemporary music culture. London-based Mark Leckey charts the frantic-compulsive hedonism of the club scene as it evolved through the last three decades, a descriptive of the fragmented nature of youth culture which clings to these rituals as an equitable solution to the circumscribing social contract. Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore, Leckey's "video essay", is a celebrated piece of visual literature that applies the rules of sound-bite technology and the resulting interdisciplinary musical pastiche to the social circumstance it mirrors. Rodney Graham, a Canadian -- who is also very prolifically showing in Germany and Toronto to kick off a year-long tour of an extended version of A Little Thought -- combines a romantic stereotype of "lovely" landscapes with some mildly satirical guitar erotica to showcase the cross pollination of music, art and the act of writing within the framework of film and, more specifically, the music video. Up-and-coming Londoner David Blandy presents From the Underground, a recent video that tackles issues of racial friction, language and hip-hop as a presiding influence over urban culture.

NB: Critic John Slyce will be introducing this international selection which includes, among others, Dara Birnbaum, Sean Dower, Peter Harris, Robert Mapplethorpe and Pipilotti Rist. Be sure to pop over to the Hayward to enjoy Dan Graham's Waterloo Sunset.

Wednesday 11 February (7pm)

@ state51, 8-10 Rhoda St., E2 (020.7729.4343) Tube: Shoreditch

The dorkbot (as in dork and (rob)bot) project was set up in New York over three years ago. Its main concept lies in gathering people interested in electricity, robotics and electronics; hence, its sub-heading: "people doing strange things with electricity". The dorkbotlondon saw the light a year after its American counterpart and has since then been taken place roughly on a bi-monthly basis between the Limehouse Town Hall and state51. On this occasion -- only a week after the two London dorkbots Saul Albert and Alex McLean inaugurated the first dorkbot-bln during the international festival of media art Transmediale -- the founder of both dorkbot and the ArtBots: The Robot Talent Show, Douglas Irving Repetto, will start his mini-tour of European dorkbots in London. His presentation will be followed by Marc Garrett and Ruth Catlow from furtherafield.org and any other last minute volunteer. dorkbot is indeed a completely democratic, open concept allowing anyone to present an "opendork". How can you possibly avoid such a gathering?!

Wednesday 11 February (7pm)

@ ICA, The Mall, SW1 (020.7930.3647) Tube: Charing Cross/Piccadilly Circus

As digital technology has progressed, the gap between architecture, art and design has narrowed. Sam Jacob of FAT (Fashion Architecture Taste) and Tapio Snellman of neutral will be discussing how they've now filled in that gap altogether, and will be screening examples of their practices' recent animation work. It's worth going to for the screen clips alone -- Neutral are a hard act to categorise, producing architectural animations for big names such as Zaha Hadid, but also video work such as Seek.02, a half-hour film in which footage of Bombay is cunningly morphed with scenes of London to create an exotic city that's not quite anywhere. FAT meanwhile are a refreshing antidote to the world of "straight" architecture, and sometimes seem to be in it purely for the fun. But the architects, artists, graphic designers and film makers who make up FAT are more serious in intent than you might at first think, and as well as actually building things, are fast becoming a "name" in each of the domains they inhabit.

NB: Marcus Fairs, editor of icon magazine, will chair the talk.

Wednesday 11 February (Wed 11/02 at 7pm; Thu 12/02 to Sat 14/02 at 7:45pm; Sun 15/02 3pm)

@ Barbican Centre, Barbican Centre, EC2 (020.7638.8891) Tube: Barbican

Back in 1879 when it opened, George Bernard Shaw described the culminating moment of A Doll's House as "the door slam heard round the world". Today, however, the plight of a woman who decides to leave her family having had enough of her bourgeois idyll may not appear to be such an urgent theme. Anne Tismer's Nora is, apparently, proof to the contrary; her doll's house is a chic designer loft, and the people she so despises are portrayed as fashion conscious glitterati. Thomas Ostermeier's production is already laden with trophies (six so far, including the Berliner Theatertreffen and the Vienna Nestroy). He's been busy making a name for himself directing raw shockers like Kane, Harrower, Ravenhill et al; his Doll's House -- which draws on film, TV soaps, comics and pop to portray exasperating role patterns -- promises to be equally startling.

NB: Run ends Sun 15/02.

Wednesday 11 February (Wed 11/02 and Thu 12/02 at 8pm)

@ Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway, NW1 (020.7916.6060) Tube: Camden Town

For all the uber-talented female nu-soul divas hailing from the US (yes we're talking about you Erykah, Jill, Alicia and even long-forgotten Lauryn), the males continue to represent, though in a more innocuous, less commercial manner. Dwele, hailing from Detroit and previously affiliating with the likes of Slum Village, is pretty much the latest to come onto the scene. After starting out dabbling and MC-ing in more hip-hop orientated areas, Dwele has become increasingly organic in his approach to music, learning to play a variety of instruments but most famously exercising those vocal chords. The man has a beautiful voice. Sweet, searing, tender and dextrous. The recently released album Subject has been an unequivocal success and Dwele is renowned as a consummate entertainer. The Jazz Cafe, which remains such a consistent and compelling part of the live music circuit in London, will host the gig. If you're feeling flushed, you could enjoy Dwele's dulcet tones over a meal in the restaurant overlooking the stage. KultureFlash would recommend a lightly grilled fish, a cold dry smooth white, served with a nourishing slab of enriching Detroit soul... could this here be the new Motown?

NB: Dwele plays on both Wed 11/02 and Thu 12/02.

Wednesday 11 February (7:30pm)

@ ICA, The Mall, SW1 (020.7930.3647) Tube: Charing Cross/Piccadilly Circus

Alasdair Roberts' second solo LP Farewell Sorrow (Rough Trade/Drag City) appeared in just about everybody's best of 2003 -- Word magazine went as far as calling it a masterpiece. Many have hailed him as the new cool face of British folk but this is too obvious and inaccurate. Far from '60s revivalists' attempts to sound like Cornish fishermen, Roberts' distinctive Scottish lilt gives an almost visible form to each word and the earthy strength of his songs set him apart from potential peers. Connections with all things traditional are however not totally unfounded. The Crook of My Arm, Roberts' first solo album (Secretly Canadian) consisted purely of his versions of ancient ballads and there are plans afoot for similar foray into the past later this year. It seems songs of death, love and drinking are relevant in every century. As Appendix Out, Roberts released three albums for Drag City and 2001 saw him collaborate with Will Oldham and Songs Ohia's Jason Molina as the Amalgamated Sons of Rest. Captivating live (ask those present at last years' Cecil Sharpe House show), on Wednesday he is aided by Gareth Eggie and Alex Neilson. Definitely not to be missed.

NB: Support from Bronze Age Fox and soon to be signed to Warp Records, Gravenhurst.

Thursday 12 February (Daily 10am - 6pm, Tue & Wed until 8pm)

@ V&A Museum, Cromwell Rd., SW7 (020.7942.2000) Tube: South Kensington

The V&A is proving that it is a museum of the future by staging a new design series called V&A Contemporary. The first is an exhibition of contemporary lighting curated by Jane Pavitt who is also author of the accompanying book. In the first gallery Brilliant features nine striking installations by Ron Arad, Ingo Maurer, Sharon Marston, Tord Boontje, Georg Baldele, Francesco Draisci, Kazuhiro Yamanaka, Paul Cocksedge and Arik Levy. The second features a dazzling display of domestic lights and objects by some of the world's design luminaries, exploring both the functional and the extreme, with the use of modern forms, technologies and materials. So on a dark and gloomy winter's afternoon, if Olafur Eliasson's The Weather Project at the Tate has raised your spirits, Brilliant should keep them lifted till spring.

NB: Runs till 25/04.

Thursday 12 February (6:45pm)

@ 20th Century Theatre, 291 Westbourne Grove, W11 (020.7229.4179) Tube: Notting Hill Gate

Imagine living in a society in which a simple pleasure of life is forbidden: reading the books that you like. Rewind to the late 1990s in Tehran where people live in a theocracy in the shadow of the Iran-Iraq war. Freedom of speech is confined and the option of reading Western novels is restricted in the Islamic Republic. University professor Azar Nafisi dares to defy such constraints by setting up a revolutionary book group. Every week she invites seven young women, bright former students, to her home where they read and discuss forbidden literary gems, including Pride and Prejudice, Madame Bovary, Daisy Miller and Lolita. "The magic eye of fiction" empowers them to overcome shyness and transgress religious and political boundaries to find their own voices. Their stories emerge in Azar Nafisi's recently published novel, Reading Lolita in Tehran, which the author aptly describes as an account of "how Lolita gave a different colour to Tehran". The book is the subject of a lecture this week, hosted by Intelligence Squared.

NB: This event is nearly sold out so book your tickets asap by calling 020.7494.3345 or by emailing info@intelligencesquared.com.

Thursday 12 February (Daily 7:30pm; Mat 28/02 & 13/03 4pm)

@ Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St., W1 (020.7478.0100) Tube: Tottenham Court Rd./Leicester Sq.

It would be easy to dismiss a production like this -- it could so easily sound worthy and tokenist -- yet the calibre of its creators is such that it's likely to be an unflinching look at the heart of our relationships. Places where we rarely dare to take a peek. It's the story of Edward, who struggles with his desires when faced with the blind and seriously erotic Maria. All she wants is to get him into bed. The formidable team of directors comprises Paines Plough's Vicky Featherstone, Frantic Assembly duo Steven Hoggett and Scott Graham (who last year collaborated on the acclaimed Tiny Dynamite) and Graeae's Jenny Sealey. A group who, with their individual companies, put on work that is consistently recognised as boundary breaking and cutting edge. The collaboration is certain to provide a thought-provoking and darkly comic evening with this new work from writer Glyn Cannon.

NB: Run ends 13/03.

Friday 13 February (check ICA website for times)

@ ICA, The Mall, SW1 (020.7930.3647) Tube: Charing Cross/Piccadilly Circus

It is refreshing and comforting that American "liberation" of Afghanistan did not automatically result in mass production of American-style "freedom" films. Writer/director Siddiq Barmak -- educated in Moscow as a director during Soviet occupation -- hurriedly produced the first feature film in the new Taliban-free Afghanistan. His haste did not in any way compromise his work. The story -- though not overly original -- is touching, and all moments where rising violin music is expected to burst your eardrums as the heroine overcomes all obstacles are refreshingly weeded out, leaving us with a "truer than life story" complete with a sense of realism. Osama is also a vision to behold; the cinematography is accomplished, and at times mind-blowing as it is aided by the extraordinary natural colours of Afghanistan and its people. Marina Golbahari is also a striking protagonist. There is not doubt that Barmak is planning to stick around -- let's hope that the inevitable big money that will be put behind his next project does not introduce him to the forever commercial "make your audience a happy bunch" concept, and that he will continue to make films for himself.

NB: Run ends 14/04.

Friday 13 February

@ Various cinemas across London

The world's astronomers will remember it as the day when, in 1781, William Hershel discovered Uranus through his telescope. Scientologists will celebrate it for for the birth of their spiritual leader, L. Ron Hubbard in 1911. But for true film buffs, March 13 will always be the date when, in 1995, two Danish directors Lars von Trier and Tomas Vinterberg signed the manifesto known as the "Vow of Chastity", thereby launching the Dogme 95 movement through an indisputable set of filmmakers' rules. Solemnly the duo swore to submit to Ten Commandments, including laws that forbade them to buy props, use filters, use anything but handheld cameras and credit themselves as directors. But this was not enough: "Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste!" The manifesto went on, "I am no longer an artist."

This thinking was not entirely new -- parallels can be drawn to Dziga Vertog, the French new wave, the Oberhausen Group in Germany and Italian neo-realism -- but von Trier's and Vinterberg's cinematic ascetism was still hailed as a groundbreaking movement. And they had the films to prove it: The Celebration was Vinterberg's Aristotlelian drama about a son's showdown with his demonic father, The Idiots von Trier's investigation into our system of social norms. Soon followed by: Soren Kragh-Jacobsen's Mifune and by Kristian Levring. Though the Dogme 95 movement, with all its fundamentalist principles and religious imagery, was initially seen as an ironic experiment, a PR stunt for Danish independent film, it seems clear now that its founders were on to something. With non-Danes like Jean-Marc Barr (Lovers) and Harmony Korine (Julien Donkey-Boy) opting for Dogme, and more than 30 international attempts from countries like Switzerland and Korea, the Dogme 95 film instantly became a genre of its own. 'Course, soon as it did, von Trier and Vinterberg were off to explore new areas. Vinterberg's It's All About Love has already been called "magnificently weird" whereas the last von Trier film, The Five Obstructions -- a magnificent meditation on the process of filmmaking, suggests that Dogville will be as weirdly magnificent. Both work from more conventional genres: a fugitive hiding, a Hitchcockian tale of love... Need we say more? Oh, Nicole's in one and Joaquin's in the other!

Friday 13 February (7:30pm)

@ Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge Rd., W12 (020.8222.6955) Tube: Shepherd's Bush

Even Johansen, known as the Bergen Cowboy who lives in rural Scotland, once said romanticism was better than realism, summing up the strangely melancholic sweetness of his folksy guitar pop. Hailing from the rainiest city in Europe, also known as home of some of the best music coming out of Norway (e.g. Royksopp and Bjorn Torske); Magnet, who got his name after an event involving a tattoo of "special" ink, is the latest to prove his worth. His belief that music is only emotional is clear when listening to this ethereal blend of atmospheric sounds, which lifts and then floors as the acoustic guitar strums to a laid-back electro beat. But Johansen is not so cut and dry, with his aching voice occasionally breaking into tortured melody, while music passes through the confines of history, petering out sounds of his indi-past and beyond. Going from solo live sets to full-on loud bands previously including turntabalist DJs Floora and drummer Tarjei Strom, expect a night of the unexpected. This is cool-country at it's best.

NB: On this headlining tour, Magnet will be supported by The Belles and in March will support labelmates Zero 7 on a tour of the UK with two nights at Brixton Academy.

Saturday 14 February (10am - 1pm)

@ Curzon Soho, 93-107 Shaftesbury Ave., W1 (020.7439.4805) Tube: Leicester Sq./Piccadilly

Agnieszka Holland is not exactly your typical Hollywood director. Yet her films have had huge box office success in the States. This, despite being complex and subtitled, would usually deter most of the cinema-going public. Her career has been a series of contradictions: she's collaborated with Coppola senior, directed Whoopi Goldberg, wrote Three Colours: Blue, yet is the most Polish of filmmakers; she learnt from Andzrej Wajda and has elaborately translated the reality of Communist Poland onto the screen. A lot of her films have been simultaneously praised and condemned: Lonely Woman (showing at the Curzon on Sat 21/02) was banned in Poland for eight years after its release, and subsequently scooped most of the awards at the 1988 Polish film festival. Julia Walking Home ends the Holland retrospective at the London Film Academy and Curzon Soho. This is her latest film, a study of faith that displays the expert layering, lightness and detail which are the common denominators in Holland's film miscellany. She will be here to introduce it, and discuss filmmaking in general. Holland won't be short of answers, as she's had enough life and film experience for 10 of your typical Hollywood directors.

NB: The festival runs from Sat 14/02 till Sat 28/02.

Saturday 14 February (6 - 8pm)

@ Fordham Gallery, 11 Princelet Street (02073928868) Tube: Shoreditch / Liverpool st.

A perfect way to kick off an early Valentine's day date with a London Musicians Collective-related concert. On this opening day of the Fordham Gallery, guitar improviser Takeshiro Nishide performs his two last shows before leaving the country. The line-up will bring together previous collaborators Phil Durrant on electronics and Matt Davis on trumpet/electronics. The trio will be combining field recordings and electro-acoustic sounds to create an improvised structure of complex sound. Phil Durrand has been widely involved with other experimental music artists such as the MIMEO ensemble, Thomas Lehn and AMM guitarist Keith Rowe (who will perform together on the 27/02 at the Deluxe Gallery). This kind of sound/music must often be experienced live in order to grasp its expressive intentions.

Monday 16 February (7:30pm - 12am)

@ The Garage, 20-22 Highbury Corner, N5 (020.7607.1818 ) Tube: Highbury and Islington

Last year's debut from Brooklyn's TV on the Radio -- the Young Liars EP -- was that rare treat, a record equally unexpected and delightful. David Sitek and Tunde Adebimpe blended atmospheric electronics and pitch-perfect blues/gospel vocals with rhythm assistance from Nick Zinner and Brian Chase of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Sitek also produced the latter's Fever to Tell). Polished hyperreal production and a natural eclecticism would have easily made TV On The Radio one of the most exciting new acts of 2003, but they had the chutzpah to cover The Pixies' "Mr. Grieves". Reconfigured as a barbershop acapella, it stole in with all the urgency of a candlelit barge floating downriver on a muggy August night. These three shows represent the first time the band have played the UK, and serve as promotion for the forthcoming album Bloodthristy Babes, Desperate Youth, on which they are joined by third member Kyp Malone.

NB: TV on the Radio will be the guests of Blond Redhead on Mon 16/02, will play The Monach on Tue 17/02 and at Lock 17 on Thu 19/02 with Azure Ray.

Friday 20 February (8 - 9pm)

@ Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2 (020 7298 1515) Tube: Knightsbridge/Lancaster Gate

With a crumpled piece of paper, lump of Blu-tac, the flashing lights at his Turner Prize exhibition, and filling a gallery half full of balloons, it's no wonder that Martin Creed is associated with a kind of Conceptual Art. Perhaps associating his "objects" with "thinking" is appropriate, but it is their humour and self-effacing thought that places Creed's work slightly outside the Conceptual ring. Further confusing the issue is Creed's parallel activity as a "musician". Not quite like Bob and Roberta Smith's Ken Ardley Playboys nor Destroy All Monsters (Mike Kelley's band), he has performed as part of OWADA (Creed, Keiko Owada and Adam McEwen) since 1995. This time, the Italy-based artist is opening up his musical frontiers to a larger number of instruments and musicians, in his words: "more notes". Whether it's really classified as music or art, be assured that some kultural frontiers are being provoked.

NB: This performance is part of the State of Play exhibition currently at the Serpentine. To book tickets call TicketWeb (08700.600.100) or purchase them at the Gallery lobby desk.

Ends Saturday 28 February (Tue to Sat 10am - 6pm )

@ Hauser & Wirth, 196A Piccadilly, W1 (020.7287.2300) Tube: Piccadilly Circus

Mary Heilman's (bn. 1940) paintings are not to be underestimated. Though only her second ever solo London show, this NYC doyenne of serious-yet-unpredictable paint, is already running with a small group of works spanning a 20-year period. Predominantly from the past 2 years, the trained-ceramicist uses personal experience as a launching pad (note titles: Requiem, Glide, Fresno) for her tantalising tropes of spots, grids, chequered patterns and criss-cross lines, all fluidly painted with less-than-usual results. Perversely easy on the eye, Heilman's robust objects are an autobiographical marker turned into a visual object, yet like Thomas Nozkowski do not expect the verve and visual pleasure to provide any literal edification. These slow yet whimsical objects, which marry the decorative qualities of ceramics with the rigours of Modernist painting, interlace a tough formal attitude with traces of content. Not convinced? Well, grab a seat (co-carpentered by Heilman), whiz round the gallery, and allow the experience to slowly creep into your psyche. (Runs till 28/02.)

NB: For other painting experiences in the area, catch Philip Guston at the RA and the Timothy Taylor Gallery.

Ends Saturday 28 February (Sat 14/02, 21/02 & 28/02 at 8pm ; Sun 15/02 & 22/02 at 4pm)

@ The Drill Hall, 16 Chenies St., WC1 (020.7307.5060) Tube: Goodge St.

There are lots of reasons for seeing Napoleon in Exile, but that it stars Gemma Brockis (of shunt) is probably enough; she's one of those performers who, once you've got used to her way, becomes weirdly intoxicating or, dare we say, addictive. So here she's playing Napoleon, trying to remember his past via love letters (Gance's film plays a part) but stuffed to the point of saturation with memories. Next to him, in a modern Canadian hospital (yes, don't wander off) is his polar opposite: Gus, an amnesiac with no memories at all, tended to by a doctor who brings him a birthday cake every time he visits. Devised by the company with multiple-award-winning Chris Goode of Camden People's Theatre, this may at first seem plain absurd but ultimately pans out to reveal a rich and deeply thought-out schema. Is this woman an actor on stage at the Drill Hall playing Napoleon? Or is that the theatrical divide between her and the hospital a mere picture in her mind -- that she is one of the millions in our world under the same delusion? A production like this really shows up the "new writing" thing as a bit of a scam -- this is what it's all about.

Ends Saturday 28 February (Tue to Sat 10am - 6pm)

@ White Cube, 48 Hoxton Square, N1 (020.7930.5373) Tube: Old St.

Since his arrival on the British art scene in 1991 with a mock English Heritage plaque, which lost him his MA but won him a firm place in the YBAs, Gavin Turk has built a reputation for creating art that enrages and amuses in equal measure. Enjoying a joke, the artist has presented himself in various guises, from Che Guevara to a homeless tramp, and has endlessly explored his artistic lineage with shout-outs to artists from David to Warhol occurring in his works. This exhibition seems to draw a line under the games however, and sees Turk on firmer ground. The cheekiness is still there, particularly in a series of bronze sculptures of bin bags, a styrofoam cup and a dirty old sleeping bag, which despite their unsavoury subject matter, are surprisingly elegant. But the real gem of the show is a labyrinth of mirrored and translucent walls, which combines the claustrophobia of a Mike Nelson installation with the gleam of Dan Graham to create something quite enchanting.

NB: Runs till 28/02.

Ends Friday 5 March (Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm)

@ Sketch, 9 Conduit st., W1 (0870.777.4488) Tube: Oxford Circus

Good food is not the only concern of Sketch, whose gallery is exhibiting Yang Fudong's mesmerizing films. Opening on the Chinese New Year, the show includes An Estranged Paradise (shown every day at 3:30pm and on Saturday as a loop), a meditation on the everyday and the utopian, one of the highlights of Documenta 11. Two other short films screen on a loop throughout the day; Between them, Backyard: Hey The Sun is Rising features four warriors getting ready for a battle that never happens. They walk around a modern urban landscape, akin to a Star Trek away-team ready to conquer an unknown planet. The most precious characteristic of Fudong's films is the way meanings are constructed through atmospheres, avoiding self-contained narratives. Modern China, received ideologies and ancient rituals are mismatched, exposing the fragility of stereotypes and the poetic side of contradictions. Fudong uses ambiguity and complexity as rhetorical tools to induce an enigmatic contemplative feeling echoing the style of La Nouvelle Vague. Yang Fudong is a finalist for the Hugo Boss Prize 2004.

NB: Runs till 05/03.