Portraits of iconic Brits spanning the whole gamut of popular culture like Princess Diana, the Beatles, Amy Winehouse and David Beckham will come to Canberra’s National Portrait Gallery in March 2022 straight from the National Portrait Gallery London.

Dubbed a “once-in-a-lifetime” exhibition, Shakespeare to Winehouse will open in Canberra 12 March and include over 80 works normally featured in the Gallery’s permanent displays, some of which have never even left their walls.

National Portrait Gallery director, Karen Quinlan AM, said the Gallery was thrilled to present a selection of the National Portrait Gallery London’s most iconic and important works. 

“The majority of these portraits have never been seen in Australia before, so this is a rare and welcome opportunity for us to present not only the iconic historical works such as the portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare, but also contemporary portraits that draw on new mediums and digital technologies,” she said.

“This is a broad-sweeping snapshot of portraiture, and the variety of methods used by artists to convey identity is a thread that runs throughout.” 

National Portrait Gallery London director, Dr Nicholas Cullinan, said Shakespeare to Winehouse will make sure the works can be seen while their building in London is temporarily closed for redevelopments.

“During the closure period hundreds of works from our Collection will travel across the UK and overseas, and we are delighted to be able to share the Gallery’s Collection in such an unprecedented way for new audiences across the world to enjoy.”

Rather than a chronological display, works are grouped into six interrelated themes of Fame, Power, Love and Loss, Identity, Innovation, and Self Portraits, encouraging new ways of thinking about the artistic and social purposes of portraiture, and demonstrating how integral elements of the genre have been reinterpreted by artists across five centuries.  The exhibition features:

• Portraits of era-defining identities including Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, the Queen, Isaac Newton, and King Henry VIII
• Icons of British culture: from the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and Beatrix Potter to David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and The Beatles;
• Works by internationally renowned artists such as David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Lucian Freud, Peter Paul Rubens, Auguste Rodin, Tracey Emin, Lord Snowdon and Shirin Neshat;
• Images of contemporary icons such as David Beckham, Ed Sheeran, Malala Yousafzai, Kate Moss, Anna Wintour, Princess Diana and Vivienne Westwood;
• Works of historical importance, including Sir Anthony van Dyck’s last self-portrait, a painting of Queen Elizabeth I created in 1575, and a portrait of William Shakespeare – NPG London’s first acquisition – which is the only picture of the Bard believed to have been made from life.

The exhibition has been supported by the ACT Government through VisitCanberra’s Major Event Fund and the the Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance (AGIEI) Program, which provides funding for the purchase of insurance for significant cultural exhibitions.

Shakespeare to Winehouse, Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London is on display at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra until 17 July; portrait.gov.au

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