03 May 2012
Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, will present the National Portrait Gallery in London with a copy of the holographic portrait ‘Equanimity’ on behalf of the people of Jersey this month, as part of a series of events to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. ‘Equanimity’ is a portrait of Her Majesty by artist Chris Levine and holographer Rob Munday, which was commissioned by Jersey Heritage in 2004. This gift will be presented at an official reception at the National Portrait Gallery on 21 May 2012.
As part of ‘The Queen: Art and Image’ exhibition, the original version of ‘Equanimity’ has already toured to the National Gallery Complex in Edinburgh, the Ulster Museum in Belfast and the National Museum Cardiff. The exhibition also includes Levine’s work ‘Lightness of Being’, an image derived from the sittings for ‘Equanimity’, which, unconventionally, depicts the monarch with closed eyes.
The work that will be given to the National Portrait Gallery is a new, more technically refined version of the original ‘Equanimity’ and will be seen for the first time at the Gallery. This new portrait is a photographic, lenticular image that produces an illusion of spatial depth and movement. It is the product of 2 sittings with Queen Elizabeth II during which more than 10,000 individual photographic images were made using a tracking camera. Computer technology was then used to process this visual information in order to produce the final portrait.
Senator Gorst, who is hosting the official reception, commented: “I am very pleased to be presenting this image to the National Portrait Gallery in the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. ‘Equanimity’ is a remarkable portrait and a fitting tribute to Jersey’s long-standing allegiance to the Crown.”
Treasury Minister, Senator Philip Ozouf, added: “The presentation of this iconic image of Her Majesty the Queen to the National Portrait Gallery during the year of her Diamond Jubilee is a great honour and an opportunity for us to demonstrate Jersey’s loyalty to the Crown and our international standing.”
Philip Hewat-Jaboor, an art consultant who has overseen the project, said: “This captivating portrait of Her Majesty is the quintessential image of statehood – it perfectly represents Jersey’s longstanding relationship with the Queen, the Island’s allegiance, loyalty and integrity to the Crown.”
Jersey residents who visit the National Portrait Gallery to view ‘Equanimity’ will be entitled to a 20% discount on hardback and paperback editions of ‘The Queen: Art and Image’ catalogue. Proof of address will be required.
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