Issy Wood Kicks Off National Portrait Gallery's New Program

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The National Portrait Gallery in London has inaugurated a new initiative titled“Artist Focus,” welcoming contemporary artists into its space, which also houses works by Hans Holbein the Younger, Anthony Van Dyck, and Joshua Reynolds.

The program will feature three annual exhibitions with free admission in the gallery's Weston Wing, beginning with British-American artist Issy Wood. Her exhibition is scheduled to run from October 9 through February 28, 2027. The National Portrait Gallery has already acquired three of Wood's pieces, including Self Portrait 2 (2021). This work will be displayed alongside 11 paintings from Wood's personal collection and seven portraits that have not been publicly exhibited before. Wood gained significant attention in 2025 for painting pop star Charli XCX for the cover of Vanity Fair.

“The Gallery's history has always been one of innovation,” said Flavia Frigeri, the National Portrait Gallery's chief curator.“We were the first portrait gallery in the world when we were founded in 1856 and remain the global centre for the study and appreciation of portraiture today. As the home of portraiture, the NPG is best placed to be a venue and a platform for continued experimentation, as we work to inspire future generations by showcasing the work of trailblazing artists.”

The gallery has hosted an international portrait competition since 1980. In 2024, the competition was rebranded as the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award, acknowledging the law firm's sponsorship, which includes a £35,000 cash prize. This year's prize was awarded to Marc Dalessio for his portrait Jean-Denis, named after his neighbor. Other artists featured in the competition included Lucille Dweck, who painted British Iraqi writer, actor, drag performer, and filmmaker Amrou Al-Kadhi, and Hannah George, a fashion publicist at Hermès, who contributed Mummy Needs A Break, depicting a woman resting with her eyes closed.

Source: ARTnews

MENAFN07092026005694012507ID1111631989