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Icons and Identities: Masterpieces from the National Portrait Gallery, London

from National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.55

by National Museum of Korea

from National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.55, page 32

Article from: National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.55

Silla History Gallery at the G...

CURRENT

by YANG SUMI Associate Curator of the Exhibition Division, National Museum of Korea

Exhibition Period : April 29–August 15, 2021

There is no doubt we are living in the age of “image wars.” In many cases a single photo, or you could call it a single wellpresented image, shows others “who I am” or “what kind of person I am” better than any words. Moreover, all the official systems and institutions in our everyday lives require that we prove on paper that “this person is me” with the use of a photo for identification. That is, an individual’s identity is regulated and proven by means of images.

This practice, however, did not suddenly appear out of the blue or emerge with the start of modern civilization. The subject of “expressing an individual’s identity and images” has a very long history and the genre of art that best attests to this is portraiture.

The special exhibition Icons and Identities jointly organized by the National Museum of Korea and the National Portrait Gallery, London tells some remarkable stories about images and identity. Comprised of 78 works from the National Portrait Gallery in London, shown in Korea for the first time, the exhibition features the portraits of major historical figures such as Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I as well as those of important people in world history from the sixteenth century to modern times. Also included are a number of works that are being internationally exhibited for the first time. Most importantly, this is the first international exchange exhibition organized by the NMK since the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

**Arthur Capel, 1st Baron Capel 1604–1649 and Elizabeth, Lady Capel d. 1661 with their children**

Historically, portraits have been one of the most powerful and attractive ways of revealing oneself. Under the five themes—Fame, Power, Love and Loss, Innovation, and Identity: Self Portrait— the exhibition explores the diverse aspects of portraiture. By theme, it deals with portraiture in terms of history, individuals, artists, and development as a genre of art, and looks at the various media such as oil painting, photography, holograms, and sculpture that have been used to produce portraits. Visitors will be particularly impressed by the paintings of famous figures by the most celebrated artists over the ages, including Rubens, Van Dyck, Auguste Rodin, and David Hockney.

This exhibition is also focused on telling stories about passionate lives, stories that reach out to us across space and over five hundred years in time. Featured in the exhibition are the faces of 76 illustrious individuals, ranging from the absolute monarch Elizabeth I and the playwright William Shakespeare from England to the poet Dylan Thomas as well as others from various fields, including human rights activists, scientists, soldiers, singers, fashion models, and painters. Though all they made out different lives in different times, the stories that they left behind draw us into the center of world history and the lives of historical figures. It seems we have almost forgotten the days when we could travel to unknown places and learn about the history and culture of other countries. At this time when interaction and communication between people and cultures is so desperately needed, this exhibition will surely bring a little bit of happiness to our lives and the pleasure of seeing some great works of art.

This article is from:

National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.55

by National Museum of Korea