World – In an incredibly sunny and summery London, after three years of closure, on 22 June 2023 the National Portrait Gallery. The British museum has carried out a major renovation, signed by the Jamie Fobert Architects studio and supported by various institutions and sponsors including the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Ross Foundation and David and Molly Lowell Borthwick, for a total investment of over 50 million euros. A new entrance on Charing Cross Road and a large space dedicated to educational programmes. Above all, the exhibition space that will allow the NPG to be much larger exhibit over 1100 works (+30% compared to the past) of his vast collection, which in the field of portraiture is among the most important in the world and makes the London gallery one of the most loved museums by the general public with over 2 million visitors every year.
The gallery houses the portraits of the most famous figures in British history and culture in the most diverse forms of artistic expression: paintings, sculptures, photographs. In the NPG collection we find the famous Chandos portrait, one of the most beautiful and plausible among those depicting William Shakespeare. The works kept cover a period of time that goes from the era of the Tudor dynasty to the present day. In addition to valuable works, such as the self-portraits of Joshua Reynolds and William Hogarth, there are many of historical importance, such as the anamorphic portrait of Edward VI by William Scrots, of Sir Thomas More and his family, of the participants in the Somerset House Conference of 1604, the Brontë Sisters, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In addition to historical portraits, the National Portrait Gallery devotes ample space to contemporary art. Works by artists such as David Hockney, Lucian Freud e Tracey Emin they are part of the museum’s permanent collection, testifying to the diversity and vitality of modern art.
The sensitivity of our times also requires that, on the occasion of the new reopening, the English museum emphatically underlines the great commitment made in the “reframing” of its collection with therefore greater space for the female universe, both in terms of subjects and female artists (which increase from 35% to 48% – explains the press release), and to the theme of a fairer balance also with regard to ethnic minorities which are also considerably increased (from 3% to 11%). Beyond the somewhat cold numbers with which these innovations are accounted for, the impression from the visit we made is certainly positive. and the fittings are beautiful and comfortable and will allow you to appreciate the visit experience more calmly which, as mentioned, is indeed artistic, but above all historical and cultural.
In parallel with the reopening, the National Portrait Gallery is also presenting two major photography exhibitions. The first, entitled Goddesses of Light: The Avant-Garde Portraits of Madame Yevonde, celebrates the incredible talent of Yevonde Middleton, one of the first photographers to use color in the UK. The exhibition is supported by Chanel Culture Fund and it is very pleasant. The photos of Yevonde very colorful are a testimony of an artist who has certainly anticipated the times (technically) and who is fun to see with her poses of yesteryear and that gravure beauty of a bygone era. The second exhibition is just as pop. This can be understood from the title “Through the Lens of a Legend: The Photographs of Paul McCartney”, reveals the multifaceted talent of one of the greatest musicians of our time. Waiting to find out if Ringo Starr also has some other hidden talent, the legendary Paul also proves to be a talented photographic reporter. This exhibition offers an intimate look into the life of the Beatles singer through his personal photographs, which capture moments of joy, musical creation and memorable encounters with other cultural icons. An appreciable story, which certainly will not go down in the annals of the history of photography, but which many will like given the notoriety of the character.