National Portrait Gallery Shows to December 2009
Bob Dylan, Gay Icons and Samuel Johnson Explored at NPG
Sep 25, 2009
The National Portrait Gallery has mounted a wide variety of exhibitions open between September and December 2009. These include:
- Gay Icons – a show celebrating the contribution of gay people to history and culture
- Bob Dylan 1966 European Tour: Photographs by Barry Feinstein
- The Life and Lives of Samuel Johnson
Gay Icons
An exhibition of photographs explores the importance of the gay icon and their contribution to history and culture.
The display features sixty photos chosen by ten selectors in collaboration with the Gallery. The selectors are Waheed Alli, Alan Hollinghurst, Elton John, Jackie Kay, Billie Jean King, Ian McKellen, Chris Smith, Ben Summerskill, Sandi Toksvig and Sarah Waters. Each member of the group has chosen their icons: six individuals who, in their opinion, have been inspirational and have made a valuable contribution to history and culture such as Virginia Woolf, K. D. Lang, Quentin Crisp, Joe Dallesandro and Joe Orton.
Many of the icons selected are extremely well-known while some are not. The selected personalities may or may not be gay.
- Open until 18 Oct 2009 – Admission fee applies
Bob Dylan 1966 European Tour: Photographs by Barry Feinstein
The image of Bob Dylan on his 1964 album, The Times they Are A-Changin', led to photographer Barry Feinstein being selected by Life magazine to record Dylan's 1966 European tour. The tour went to Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, London, Bristol, and Paris and the photographs provide a glimpse behind the scenes showing a private view of one of the most photographed men of the 21st Century.
Feinstein has received more than 30 international photo-journalism awards. His work has featured on more than 500 album covers and has appeared in numerous magazines including LIFE, Look, Time, Esquire and Newsweek. His work will also feature in the NPG's exhibition Beatles to Bowie: the 60s Exposed open from 15th October 2009 to 24th January 2010.
- Open until 29th November 2009 – Admission is free
The Life and Lives of Samuel Johnson
The 18th September 2009 was the 300th anniversary of the birth of Dr Samuel Johnson. To mark this event the Gallery has mounted an exhibition showing prints, drawings and portraits of Dr Johnson, the people he wrote about such as John Milton and Alexander Pope, and key people in his life such as David Garrick, Sir Joshua Reynolds, James Boswell and Hester Lynch Piozzi.
- Open until 13th December 2009 – Admission is free
Further details of all these exhibitions, related events and publications, can be obtained from the National Portrait Gallery.
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