Portraits of Brent’s Change Makers
Location: The Exhibition Space, 2nd Floor, The Library at Willesden Green
Through the loan of works from the National Portrait Gallery and new portraits acquired by Brent Museum and Archives, Icons of Colour will share stories and achievements of people of colour with connections to Brent.
The exhibition will feature photographic portraits from the National Portrait Gallery collection, including of Riz Ahmed, Rachel Yankey and Courtney Pine. Including the first public display of the Gallery’s newly commissioned portrait of Zadie Smith, by Nigerian born artist Toyin Ojih Odutola.
Two new portraits, a charcoal drawing of Cyrille Regis and photographic portrait of Ben Bailey Smith (Doc Brown) will complement the display and become a permanent part of Brent Museum and Archives collections.
As part of a young people’s Takeover Day the exhibition will include interpretation labels written by local schoolchildren and their own portrait responses. The artworks will be complemented by creative content gathered as part of Brent 2020, Brent’s London Borough of Culture year.
The exhibition is funded through AIM’s Tackling Inequality Hallmarks Grant, supported by Arts Council England.