Hot Stuff: The Studio 65 Bocca Lip Sofa, from 1972

I'm filing this one under 'things to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon'... the Pop Art Design Exhibition at The Barbican is now open and runs until 9th February.

What makes this take on an admittedly very familiar art scene different is that it focuses on the role of both the designers and the artists in the Pop Art era - and inevitably features a lot of wacky chairs.

"Pop artists commented on the cult of celebrity, commodity fetishism and the proliferation of media that permeated everyday life in America and the UK after WWII. Radically departing from all that had gone before, artists delighted in adopting the design language of advertising, television and commerce to create work that was playful but often also intentionally irreverent and provocative. In turn, designers routinely looked to Pop Art as a source of inspiration. Pop Art Design paints a new picture of Pop – one that recognises the central role played by design."

Jane Alison, Senior Curator, Barbican Art Gallery said: ‘Pop emerged in the 1950s yet, amazingly, this is the first major show to throw light on the relationship between Pop Art and design. Featuring key Pop artists and groundbreaking designers it’s a must see for anyone fascinated by this iconic period and its enduring legacy.’