Athletes from 203 countries (or is it 204) are competing in the London Summer Olympics.

People born in each of these countries live in London.

Hence The World in London Exhibit (July 27-August 12) 203 photographs. 203 Londoners. 203 nationalities, part of London Festival 2012 (June 21-September 9)

"The World in London is a major public art project initiated by The Photographers’ Gallery, to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project brings together 204 specially commissioned photographic portraits of 204 Londoners, each originating from one of the nations competing at the Games. Mounted on large-scale panels, the portraits will be exhibited in the public realm across central London during London 2012. Stephen Shore, Juergen Teller, Mary McCartney and Andres Serrano, alongside emerging names, have been commissioned to photograph the sitters over the last two years, all of whom live in London."

A good pick to experience alongside Olympics of Food, Globalfeast 2012 also in London (July 25, August 13).

(* Image of Laka, "a Mongolian-born Londoner, portrayed at his workplace – the kitchen of a pub – surrounded by freshly cleaned pots and pans" comes from the program pages.)