Entry to the Gallery Is Free
What’s On
March - May 2017
The National Portrait Gallery is home to the largest collection of portraits in the world and celebrates the lives and achievements of those who have influenced British history, culture and identity.
National Portrait Gallery
St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE
020 7306 0055 Recorded information 020 7312 2463
Entry to the Gallery is free
An entry fee is charged for some exhibitions.
Nearest Tube: Leicester Square or Charing Cross
Nearest Mainline Train: Charing Cross
Buses to Trafalgar Square
Opening Hours
Daily 10.00 – 18.00
Thursdays and Fridays until 21.00
Exiting commences 10 minutes before the closing time. Ticket Desk closes, and last admission to ticketed exhibitions, one hour before the Gallery closes.
Due to staff training on Monday mornings, galleries on
Floor 1 and all Shops open at 11.00.
Group Visits
For organised group visits, including schools, colleges and adult groups visit npg.org.uk/learning or call 020 7312 2483.
Access
Step-free access is via the Shop entrance on St Martin’s Place and the Orange Street ramp entrance. Accompany your visit with our free access resources including the BSL Gallery App, BSL audio guide, audio picture description and large print guides available from the Ticket Desk. Free Audio Guides are available for all disabled visitors. A large print version of the What’s On is available to download at npg.org.uk/access
For all access enquiries and for specific access requirements visit npg.org.uk/access or call 020 7321 6600. Text Direct 18001.
Explore
Free WiFi is available throughout the Gallery.
Search the Collection and create your own tours using the interactive Portrait Explorer touch-screens.
Explore the Gallery with our interactive Audio Visual Guide (£3), Family Audio Visual Guide (charges apply) and our new and exclusive Choral Audio Guide (£3).
The Gallery App (£1.19 available from iTunes) includes video introductions and floorplans.
Pick up a Map to help plan your visit and support the Gallery with a donation of £1.
This autumn we are launching our exclusive Choral Audio Guide, recorded exclusively by The Portrait Choir. £3
Heinz Archive and Library
The primary centre for the study of British Portraiture.
Open Tuesday to Friday, 10.00 – 17.00 by appointment only:
The curatorial team provides research support on Wednesday afternoons 14.00 – 17.00, no appointment necessary. Valuations are not given.
Keep in touch
Register online for the Gallery’s free enewsletter and follow us on social media:
npg.org.uk
Facebook: /nationalportraitgallery
Twitter: @npglondon
Instagram: @nationalportraitgallery
Our Visitor Services team are here to help and in return we ask that our visitors are courteous towards all Gallery staff.
Welcome from the Director
It is with great pleasure that I introduce the Gallery’sinnovative season of exhibitions, displays and eventsfor spring 2017.
We’re looking forward to Gillian Wearing and ClaudeCahun: Behind the mask another mask (from 9 March),which pairs two pioneering artists, born 70 years apartyet both exploring similar themes of gender, identityand masquerade. Opening soon after, HowardHodgkin: Absent Friends (from 23 March) will be thefirst exhibition of portraits by one of Britain’s leadingartists. Expect rich colour, sensuous brushstrokes anda challenging take on traditional forms ofrepresentation.
If you are visiting the Gallery in the coming months,I invite you to pick up a free copy of my Director’s Trailand explore some of my favourite portraits in the Collection. I hope you enjoy discovering the stories ofthese individuals with me.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan
Director, National Portrait Gallery, London
Exhibitions
Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun: Behind the mask, another mask
9 March –29 May 2017
Wolfson Gallery
Tickets
Including donation: £12(Concessions: £10.50)
Joint ticket*
Including donation £20(Concession £17.50)
* Between 23 March – 29 May see bothGillian Wearing and Claude Cahunand Howard Hodgkin by booking ourexclusive online only joint ticket. Visitwebsite for further details.
Book now atnpg.org.uk/wearingcahun
Call 020 7321 6600
Or visit the Gallery in person
Free for members
#WearingCahun
Publication
A fully illustrated exhibition catalogueby Sarah Howgate with an essay byDawn Ades. £24.95, hardback(£19.95 Gallery exclusive)
Supported by Cockayne – Grants forthe Arts and The London CommunityFoundation
Exhibition organised in collaboration with Gillian Wearing
Spring Season 2017 sponsoredby Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
This exhibition brings together for the first time the work of FrenchSurrealist artist Claude Cahun and British contemporary artist GillianWearing. Although they were born almost seventy years apart and camefrom different backgrounds, remarkable parallels can be drawn betweenthe two artists. Both of them share a fascination with the self-portraitand use the self-image, through the medium of photography, to explorethemes around identity and gender, which is often played out through
masquerade and performance.
Howard Hodgkin: Absent Friends
23 March –18 June 2017
Porter Gallery
Tickets
Including donation: £12(Concessions: £10.50)
Members free
Joint ticket*
Including donation £20(Concession £17.50)
* Between 23 March – 29 May see both
Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahunand Howard Hodgkin by booking ourexclusive online only joint ticket. Visitwebsite for further details.
Book now at npg.org.uk/hodgkin
Call 020 7321 6600
Or visit the Gallery in person
#HowardHodgkin
Publication
A fully illustrated exhibition bookwritten by curator Paul Moorhouse.£29.95, hardback.
Supported by Julia and Hans Rausing
Spring Season 2017 sponsoredby Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
This is the first exhibition of portraits by Howard Hodgkin (b.1932), one ofBritain’s leading artists. Hodgkin’s paintings are characterised by rich colour,complex illusionistic space and sensuous brushwork. By emphasising thesepictorial elements, his work frequently appears entirely abstract. However,
over the course of 65 years, a principal concern of Hodgkin’s art has been toevoke a human presence. The role of memory, the expression of emotion,and the exploration of relationships between people and places are allpreoccupations. The exhibition explores Hodgkin’s development of apersonal visual language of portraiture, which challenges traditional formsof representation.
BP Portrait Award 2017
22 June –24 September 2017
Wolfson Gallery
Admission Free
npg.org.uk/bp
#BPPortrait
Publication
Featuring all works in the exhibitionalongside an essay by bestsellingnovelist Stella Duffy. £9.99,paperback.
Supported by BP
The BP Portrait Award is the most prestigious portrait painting
competition in the world, and the free exhibition continues to be anunmissable highlight of the annual art calendar.
From informal studies and personal studies of friends and family torevealing images of famous faces, the exhibition always features avariety of styles and approaches to the contemporary painted portrait.Now in its thirty-eight year at the National Portrait Gallery, andtwenty-eighth year of sponsorship by BP, the first prize of £30,000makes the Award the most important international portrait paintingcompetition of its kind and has launched the careers of manyrenowned artists.
The Encounter: Drawings from Leonardo to Rembrandt
13 July –22 October 2017
Porter Gallery
Tickets on sale from 16 February
Including donation: £10(Concessions £8.50)
Members free
#TheEncounter
Publication
The fully illustrated catalogue bycurators Tarnya Cooper and CharlotteBolland. £24.95, paperback.
The creative encounter betweenindividual artists and sitters is
explored in this major exhibitionfeaturing portrait drawings by someof the outstanding masters of theRenaissance and Baroque periods. Drawn from the holdings of Britishcollections, exquisite observationaldrawings by artists such as Leonardoda Vinci, Holbein, Rubens andRembrandt will be on display in acelebration of portrait drawing fromlife, during a time of extraordinaryartistic ingenuity.
Cézanne Portraits
26 October 2017 –11 February 2018
Wolfson Gallery
Tickets
Including donation: £20
(Concessions £18.50)
Book now at npg.org.uk/cezanne
Call 020 7321 6600
Or visit the Gallery in person
#CézannePortraits
Publication
Fully illustrated exhibition cataloguewith introductory essay by curatorJohn Elderfield. £35, hardback.
This major new exhibition bringstogether, for the first time, over 50portraits by Paul Cézanne, one ofthe most influential artists of thenineteenth century.
Cézanne painted almost 200portraits during his career, including26 of himself and 29 of his wife,Hortense Fiquet. The exhibitionexplores the special pictorial and thematic characteristics ofCézanne’s portraiture including hiscreation of complementary pairsand multiple versions of the samesubject. The chronologicaldevelopment of Cézanne’sportraiture is considered, with anexamination of the changes thatoccurred with respect to his styleand method, and his understandingof resemblance and identity.
In collaboration with Musée d’Orsay,Paris and National Gallery of Art,Washington DC
Gallery Displays
The Gallery’s changing programme of free displays highlight a range of themes, sitters and artists, as well as significant anniversaries and acquisitions.
Speak its Name!
Floor 1 Room 32
Until 6 August 2017
Marking the fiftieth anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of malehomosexuality in England and Wales in 1967, this display features aselection of portraits from Speak its Name! – a new book of moving,amusing and inspirational quotations by and about LGBT people. Thedisplay includes photographs of Saffron Burrows, Tom Daley, AngelaEagle, Jackie Kay, Alexander McQueen, Ben Whishaw and Will Young,accompanied by quotations from the sitters discussing their ownexperience of ‘coming out’ – to friends, family, fans and media.
Double Take: Akram Zaatari and the Arab Image Foundation
Floor 1 Room 33
27 March – 3 September 2017
Studio Shehrazade was a popular photographic studio run by Hashem elMadani from 1953 in Saida, Lebanon. Residents of the city frequently visitedto have their portraits taken in the privacy of Madani’s studio. In 1998Madani’s archive was discovered by the Arab Image Foundation, anorganisation co-founded by the contemporary Lebanese artist AkramZaatari, with the aim of collecting and researching amateur and
commercial photographic practices from the Middle East, North Africa andArab diaspora.
As part of an ongoing project, Zaatari has begun to reorganise andrecirculate Madani’s photographs. This display will present studio portraitstaken by Madani in which two people of the same sex kiss or tenderlyembrace. By returning to these historical documents, Zaatari explores thecultural and political histories contained within Madani’s portraits.
Supported by The Ampersand Foundation
Life, Death and Memory
Floor 2 Room 16
From 17 April 2017
Portraiture has a close relationship with the passing of time and mortality.Portraits usually reflect a particular moment in a person’s life. That personwill change, get older and eventually die but the portrait endures. Thisdisplay draws together historic and contemporary works from the Collectionthat engage with this complex, sometimes troubling, relationship.
There is along tradition of portraits that explicitly anticipate death, including theseventeenth-century diarist John Evelyn shown clutching a skull. Artists havefrequently explored their mortality in self-portraits. Such reminders of deathwere intended to indicate the sitters humility and piety.
Floor 2
Room 3 Until 16 July
Framing the Face:Collars and Ruffs
Room 16 Until 2 April
Luc Tuymans: Glasses
Floor 1From 28 February 2017
First World War Poets
Room 24Until 31 July 2017
Reproducing Fame: Printmakersand the Victorian Stage
Room 25 Until 6 August 2017
At the Despatch Box:Gladstone in Action
Room 28 Until December 2017
Late Victorian and EdwardianBritain: Arts, Culture, People
Room 29 Until 29 October 2017
A Century of Photography1840 – 1940
Ondaatje Wing Main Hall and Floor 1 Room 32
Until 21 May 2017
Antony Gormley – Object
Room 32 Until 21 May 2017
Antony Gormley – Fall
Floor 0
Room 39 Until 24 September 2017
David Gwinnutt:Before We Were Men
National Programme
The Gallery works collaboratively with venues aroundthe country to loan works as part of a variedprogramme of touring exhibitions and displays.
Modern Visionaries:Van Dyck and the Artists’ EyeLaing Art Gallery, Newcastle
28 January – 4 June 2017
Curated by the Laing Art Gallery,Newcastle, this exhibition will
consider Sir Anthony van Dyck’sSelf-portrait alongside works by
twentieth-century visionary artists.Key works drawn from both theNational Portrait Gallery and theLaing Art Gallery’s collection includeportraits of Joseph Beuys, Mervyn
Peake and Paule Vézelay. Artist MarcusCoates will create a new performancefor the exhibition that builds on hisrole as a shaman and visionary tooffer imaginative responses to the
social and philosophical problems ofcontemporary urban living.
Paul Smith to J K Rowling:BP Portrait Award Commissions
from the National Portrait GalleryUniversity of Hull for the UK’sCity of Culture 2017
29 March – 11 June 2017
This exhibition will showcase twentytwo of the first prize winning portraitsfrom the BP Portrait Award. As part ofthe Hull City of Culture celebrationsfor 2017, portraits of sitters includingSir Ian McKellen, Dame Helen Mirrenand J K Rowling will come together inan exhibition which represents thediversity, creativity and vision of agroup of people who have shapedBritain today.
Find out morenpg.org.uk/beyondthegallery
Events Calendar
Events are free unless otherwise stated. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis and are subject to availability.
Book ticketed events at npg.org.uk/events, call 020 7306 0055 or visit the Gallery in person.
We offer discounted ticket prices for Concessions and Gallery Supporters. Events are subject to change. Please check the website before visiting.
Access
All events are wheelchair accessible.
BSL: Events interpreted with British Sign Language or led in BSL. Please check listings for details.
Visualising Portraits: Picture description for visually impaired visitors.
March
Thu 2
13.15 Lunchtime Lecture Molecular Jigsaws: Piecing togetherour female structural biologists £3/£2
19.00In ConversationAnthony Burgess at 100: Jonathan Meades £8/£7
Fri 3
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Gayna Pelham
18.30 Live Music Ignite: Wigmore Hall
Sun 5
13.00 – 16.00
Young People Sunday Session Interior Reflections
Thu 9
19.00 In Conversation Mirror Mirror: Women’s Self-portraits
Fri 10
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Robin-Lee Hall
18.30 Live Music Luca Luciano and Jose Henrique de Campos
Sat 11 – Sun 12
11.00-17.00
Weekend Workshop: My Portrait and Myself £150/£125
Thu 16
13.15Lunchtime Lecture First Lady: The Life and Wars of
Clementine Churchill £3/£2
19.00In Conversation Gillian Wearing £8/£7
Fri 17
18.30Late Shift Screening: Confessions to the Mirror £7/£6
18.30Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Marc Woodhead
18.30Live Music Shirley Smart and Tommie Black-Roff
Sat 18
12.00 – 16.00
Pick Up A Pencil Make Your Mark
Sun 19
13.00 – 14.30(for ages 3+) Drop-in Family Session
15.00 – 16.30 (for ages 7+) School of Noise
Thu 23
19.00 In ConversationBefore we were men: David Gwinnutt and guests £8/£7
Fri 24
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Grace Adam
18.30Live Music Bella Tromba
Sat 25
11.00 – 17.00
One-day Workshop Another Mask: Making Poetry fromPortraiture £75/£60
Mon 27
13.00-15.00Drawing Room From every angle
Thu 30
14.00 Visualising Portraits Speak its Name!
18.30 Lecture Howard Hodgkin: Absent Friends £8/£7
19.30 BSL Gallery Tour A Century of Photography, 1840 – 1940
Fri 31
18.30Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Susan Wilson
18.30Life Drawing After the Masters £9/£7
18.30Live Music João Loureiro
April
Sun 2
11.00 – 16.00
Sunday Session Crafted Identities
Mon 3 – Fri 7
11.00 – 16.00
Holiday Activities Behind the Mask
Wed 5
11.00, 13.00and 15.00
Holiday Activities Transform(15.00 session will be BSL interpreted)
Thu 6
13.15Lunchtime Lecture ‘Mad, bad and dangerous to know’ –Lord Byron and his women £3/£2
19.00In Conversation Claude Cahun’s ‘self-portraits’ £8/£7
Fri 7
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Grace Adam
18.30Live Music Charlotte Glasson
Sat 8 – Sun 9
11.00 - 17.00
Weekend WorkshopPlaying with the Camera
£150/£125
Tue 11 – Thu 13
11.00 – 16.00
Three Day Workshop Masking Identities
Thu 13
17.00-17.30Three Day Workshop Showcase Masking Identities
19.00In Conversation Hodgkin and portraiture: painting whathe sees and feels £8/£7
Fri 14
18.30Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Gayna Pelham
Thu 20
13.15Lunchtime Lecture Claude Cahun – A Life Defiant £3/£2
19.00In Conversation The Art of Photographing HollywoodIcons: Then and Now £8/£7
Fri 21
18.30Late Shift Screening: Orlando £7/£6
18.30Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Andy Pankhurst
18.30Live Music Matshidiso
Sat 22 – Sun 23
11.00 – 17.00
Weekend Workshop The Abstract Portrait £150/£125
Mon 24
13.00 – 15.00
The Drawing Room Focus on Fashion
Thu 27
14.00 Visualising PortraitsArt, Invention & Thought: the Romantic
19.00Late Shift Please see website for details
19.30BSL Tour Akram Zaatari
Fri 28
18.30Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Marc Woodhead
18.30Life Drawing Figure drawing for the Fearful £9/£7
18.30Live Music Concert Theatre: The Tenant
May
Thu 4
13.15 Lunchtime Lecture The Invention of Angela Carter £3/£2
19.00In Conversation Queer Perspectives
Fri 5
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Gayna Pelham
18.30Live Music Louisa Petais and Christopher Bundhun
Sun 7
11.00 – 16.00
Young People Sunday Session Abstract Portraits
Thu 11
19.00In Conversation Masked/Unmasked £8/£7
Fri 12
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Andy Pankhurst
18.30Late Shift Screening: The Skin I Live In £7/£6
18.30Live Music Musike in the Ayre
Sat 13 – Sun 14
11.00 – 17.00
Weekend WorkshopMe as Mask £75/£60
Thu 18
13.15Lunchtime Lecture The Lives of Tudor Women £3/£2
18.00Gallery Tour Photo London: A Century of Photography
19.00In conversationPhoto London: Newsha Tavakolian £8/£7
Fri 19
18.00Gallery Tour Photo London: Before we were Men
18.30Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Grace Adam
18.30Live Music Marielle Way
19.00In Conversation Photo London: William Klein £8/£7
Sat 20
16.00 In Conversation Photo London: Gregory Crewdson £8/£7
Sun 21
13.30 – 14.30 (for ages 3+)Drop-in Family SessionPortraits in
Clay
15.00 – 16.30(for ages 7+)Drop-in Family SessionPortraits in
Clay
Thu 25
14.00 Visualising Portraits Akram Zaatari
19.00PerformanceA Search For Perfection – Alexander
Pope £8/£7
19.30BSL Tour Speak its Name!
Fri 26
18.30 Drop-in Drawing Led by artist Robin-Lee Hall
18.30 Life Drawing Pose/Counterpose £9/£7
18.30 Live Music Concordia Foundation
Mon 29
13.00 The Drawing Room Life, Death and Memory
Mon 29 – Fri 2 June
11.00 – 16.00Holiday Activities Finding Friends
Wed 31
15.00Gallery Tour London History Day
Lunchtime Lectures
Thursdays at 13.15, £3/£2
Immerse yourself in British history and culture in our popular Lunchtime Lecture series. Doors open at 12.45.