YORK artist and mathematics professor Malcolm Ludvigsen will give a public lecture at the University of York tomorrow on Randomness And Chaos In Art.

"That subject is something I'm all too familiar with," says Malcolm, who notes that his lecture falls on the "ominous date" of Friday the 13th. "The talk will be part of this year's Festival Of Ideas, organised by the university, which this year will explore the ideas of order and chaos. I'll discuss the essential role of randomness and chaos in art and nature from the point of view of a scientist and a painter."

The event will be held from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in Room LFH/204 in theHarry Fairhurst building. Everybody is welcome and information and free tickets are available online at york.ac.uk/lifelonglearning/festivalofideas No Ludvigsen story would be complete without news of yet more exhibitions by York's most ubiquitous artist.

"The first is taking place until the end of June in what must be York's newest arty venue: Middletons Hotel, which used to be called Lady Anne Middleton Hotel, on Skeldergate, where they have a superb display area right along the whole length of the dining room cum bar," says Malcolm. "They're encouraging local artists to exhibit there and they also have live music four or five times a week, which makes an ideal combination."

Malcolm's celebration of the countryside within walking distance of York, mostly the banks of the Ouse, Fulford and Clifton Ings, and Walmgate Stray, will be shown until the end of June. "This is my usual stomping ground, where I must have done hundreds of paintings over the years, many of which are on display," he says.

The focus switches from rural to urban in Malcolm's contributions to Blossom Street Gallery's "York" exhibition. "They're showing several of my York street scenes, all painted on the spot to the annoyance of pedestrians and motorists," he says.

Should you be venturing out to Chris Monks's detective thriller The Last Train To Scarborough at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, you will find yet more Ludvigsen scenes on show on the corridor walls, this time a selection of his seascapes in the self-explanatory show, The Yorkshire Coast. The Last Train leaves town on Saturday, but the exhibition will run until July 5.

"If that's not enough, I also have a large exhibition of my Yorkshire paintings at the Devonshire Hotel at Bolton Abbey, near Skipton, till late autumn," says Malcolm. "The hotel is actually owned by the Duke of Devonshire and he has many paintings he owns on display there. He has, however, kept the best Raphaels and Titians at home at Chatsworth House! Nevertheless my paintings are in good company."