Inspiring Photographs: Collecting for the Future


Interesting exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery of new acquisitions in response to recent social, cultural and political events. 

Curators had looked at gaps in the collection, particularly around diversity, and purchased and commissioned work to fill those gaps. Areas covering included women, BAME sitters and people from the LBGTQ community.

I was fascinated by a series called 209 Women, an all-female initiative with female sitters and photographers. A lovely example from this was a picture of Seema Kennedy MP by Julia Fullerton-Batten in the House of Commons corridor standing on a box in a suit looking over her shoulder.

There was a lovely contemplative picture of Stormzy by Olivia Rose and four by the same photographer of women in the art world including Maria Belshaw, head of the Tate.

My favourite, shown here, was a lovely windswept photograph of Laura Kuenssberg by Richard Ansett in one of her characteristic brightly coloured coats.

Closes 28 June 2020

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