Category: Exhibitions

  • Photography into Art

    HRH The Duchess of Cambridge b.1982 By Paul Emsley (b.1947) Oil on canvas, 2012 1152 x 965 (45 3/8 x 38) NPG 6956 © National Portrait Gallery, London; A National Portrait Gallery commission given by Sir Hugh Leggatt in memory of Sir Denis Mahon through the Art Fund

    It is when you see an artist use a photograph to create paint a portrait and not any portrait at that, but that of a royal, you begin to see the importance of photography.

    On Friday, 11th January 2013, the National Portrait Gallery unveiled the portrait of Kate Middleton aka HRH The Duchess of Cambridge painted by Paul Emsley.

    The portrait will be on display at the gallery until 1st September 2013.

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    Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, now Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, was born in Berkshire and attended Marlborough College. The Duchess studied at the British Institute in Florence before enrolling at the University of St Andrews in Fife to study History of Art. She married His Royal Highness Prince William at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. In January 2012, St James’s Palace announced The Duchess’s patronage of five charities, one of which is the National Portrait Gallery. Her first solo public engagement was the opening of the Lucian Freud Portraits exhibition and Her Royal Highness has shown a keen interest in portraiture and photography in particular.

    Glasgow-born Paul Emsley grew up in South Africa and won first prize in the BP Portrait Award (2007). Painting Her Royal Highness at the beginning of her public life, The Duchess was able to give Emsley two sittings, the first at Kensington Palace and the second at the artist’s studio. Emsley’s subjects are frequently located against a dark background and emphasize, ‘the singularity and silence of the form.’ Previous portrait commissions have included the author V.S. Naipaul (2009) for the Gallery’s Collection and Nelson Mandela (2010).

    Paul Emsley says: ‘The Duchess explained that she would like to be portrayed naturally – her natural self – as opposed to her official self. She struck me as enormously open and generous and a very warm person. After initially feeling it was going to be an unsmiling portrait I think it was the right choice in the end to have her smiling – that is really who she is.’

    National Portrait Gallery

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    Paul Emsley briefly explains how he used photographs to create the portrait of the Duchess.

  • World Travel Market 2011 – The Stands

    The World Travel Market held at the ExCel Centre in London, is the largest travel expo which focuses on travel business and technology that drives it.

    The travel expo was a four day event from 7-10 November 2011.

    It featured over 460 events from 36 countries, all under one roof. A place where the world can be seen within walking distance.

    You can find more pics here.

  • Never Forget NEVER AGAIN

    A slogan used to promote the photography exhibition at the GoDown Arts Centre in Nairobi.

    This exhibition highlights some SHOCKING, yet brilliant photography taken during the Post-Election violence that plagued Kenya as a whole.

    Photo source: Kenya Post-Election Violence Flickr Group

    Whilst I was in Nairobi during an album launch (more on this later) which happened at the venue, I got a chance to go round the exhibition hall and I have to say, you have to have a strong stomach for this showcase.

    Some of the pictures are too explicit (in a violent way). Depicting what went down during Kenya’s worst time in modern day Africa.

    I got a chance to speak to one of the photographers, Boniface Mwangi, with his passion for photography, risked his life and together with other photographers they documented Kenya’s violent history through the lens.

    The story told in the pictures were carefully compiled into a book aptly named ‘KENYA BURNING’. Which in my opinion, is a must have esp. for Kenyans in Kenya and the diaspora. A gentle reminder of what could happen if we don’t make the right and smart choices when electing the right people to lead Kenya. The book retails at Kshs1,500.

    In my opinion, if people’s views and opinions do not change to a positive outlook by 2012 elections……Kenya will definitely be in the world public eye AGAIN for the same wrong reasons and worse!

    As a Kenyan, this is something that has to be highlighted.

    For more information about the book and the exhibition, please follow the links above or contact Boniface Mwangi through the following avenues:

    Boniface Mwangi – Facebook

    Boniface Mwangi – Twitter

    Boniface Mwangi – Website

  • Focus on Imaging 2009


    Sigma Stand….ooppss Lens!

    Originally uploaded by EK13 Photography

    So this was my third year at the expo and I was not disappointed.

    Is there a recession going on? To be honest, I never felt it at the venue, The NEC in Birmingham. With all the kit you could ever imagin to have in your possession in display, one was tempted to just break the bank and go on a spending spree.

    I held back though and just picked a few accessories for my current beginners kit.

    Back to Focus, as I write this, it still has two days before it is over. So, if you can, please go and check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

    I didn’t see everything I wanted to see…….there is too much to see anyway. Tip…..make a list of the stands you would like to see and stick to it. Otherwise, you will have an excitement migrane.

    Focus was and is an experience that will make me go back year after year. Worth every penny of the £6 entry price and the 2 hour journey.

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