I had a chance to quickly visit the National Portrait Gallery in September just before I was about to fly back from my #EyesForLondon feature.
Before I get into anything else, I must share this. Every museum / gallery I went to, I always had my camera with me and I always asked – either while getting in / buying a ticket – whether photography was allowed. The National Gallery – at Trafalgar Square, for example, told me that nothing could be photographed and I left immediately. At the NPG, I was told, “There are some artworks that are not to be photographed. Those are marked with a NO PHOTOGRAPHY sign.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was thinking, “So you’re telling me that stuff that is not supposed to be photographed, is marked with a STICKER of some sort?!”
I had to see it to believe it – I strode in with my camera and started snapping away – all the while checking each description board, looking for the “NO CAMERA” sign. There were security guards at spots throughout the venue but I could have easily gotten away with snapping up photographs of restricted stuff. ( I am NOT, in any way, recommending that you do that – I didn’t. ) All I’m trying to make a point about is this : trust.
They trusted me to follow the rules as they had been laid out. It’s stunning to an India. Which I am. In India, the baseline most people operate from is mistrust, suspicion and downright, “They’re out to get me.”
Now I’m sure that my NPG experience isn’t new for some of you but for me this was absolutely stunning. I tell this story to whoever asks me about my London trip and now you know about it as well.
We need more trust.
Onto the splendid artwork – my favorite ones only of course. I loved the colors, the face, the person or the style – hence I took photographs of only those artworks.
You see the guy above? Chevalier D’Eon? I photographed this painting because I looked at him and immediately thought that he bears some resemblance to Rohit Bal ( the Fashion Desginer ). What do you think?
You can find the National Portrait Gallery on Twitter as @NPGLondon and on Facebook as well.
