Angelic painting of Sam Smith unveiled at London’s National Portrait Gallery

1 August, 2024

Sam Smith performing live on stage

A new painting of Sam Smith has been unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in London – check out the preview below.

The piece was created by art duo Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard (aka Pierre et Gilles). Previously, the pair have depicted the likes of Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Tilda Swinton through painting and photography.

Their painting of Smith – named ‘Gloria’, which is also the title of the singer’s latest album – shows the star playing a harp in a heavenly location. They are seen wearing a pair of white angel wings, designed by JW Anderson.

‘Gloria’ was created by Pierre et Gilles in 2023, with the artists first taking a photograph of Smith posing before hand painting and embellishing the picture.

The artwork will appear alongside pictures of Harry Styles, Pride In London co-founder Peter Tatchell and more in the new ‘History Makers’ gallery (via BBC News). It is on loan to the gallery from Smith’s own collection.

Smith said: “I have admired the beautiful work of Pierre et Gilles for years, their incredible portraits of icons like Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Almond are truly iconic, and to sit for them was a dream come true.

“I was so happy when the National Portrait Gallery asked me if they could loan the piece.”

They continued: “It’s very important to me to support the arts. Being in their new ‘History Makers’ section is an honour.”

The National Portrait Gallery explained that the “never-before-seen” ‘Gloria’ aims to combine “reality, daily life, dreams and fantasies”.

Clare Freestone, Curator Of Photography at the National Portrait Gallery, added: “I’m absolutely delighted that Sam has agreed to lend this incredible work to the National Portrait Gallery.

“An amazing moment for Sam’s fans to connect on a deeper level with the portrait, its display presents a unique opportunity for visitors to see a much-loved artwork, borrowed from the singer’s own collection and on show for the first time in a public art gallery.”

You can find more information here.

The National Portrait Gallery reopened last year after being closed since 2020 to undergo a revamp. In 2023, the space hosted Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes Of The Storm – an exhibition of unseen photos taken at the height of ‘Beatlemania’.

In other news, Sam Smith has announced a new version of ‘I’m Not The Only One’ featuring Alicia Keys. The track will appear on the 10th anniversary edition of the singer’s 2014 debut album, ‘In The Lonely Hour’, out tomorrow (August 2).

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