Nahem Shoa's Portrait 'Head of Desiree' Featured in Laing Art Gallery Collection
The Laing Art Gallery is currently displaying Nahem Shoa's oil painting 'Head of Desiree' as part of its '100 Years of Collecting' exhibition. Created between 2000-2001, this portrait measures 121cm by 92cm and depicts the artist's friend Desiree Sanderson. Shoa, a London-born contemporary painter known for his 'Giant Heads' series focusing on multicultural representation, donated this work to the gallery in 2017. The painting exemplifies his approach of working directly from life models using a distinctive color palette without black or brown pigments. Shoa's broader artistic practice addresses themes of racism and aims to increase positive representations of Black individuals in British art collections. His work has been exhibited at institutions including the National Portrait Gallery and Royal Academy in London, with a current exhibition at Southampton City Art Gallery running through February 2021.
Key facts
- Nahem Shoa's painting 'Head of Desiree' (2000-2001) is on display at Laing Art Gallery
- The portrait was donated by the artist to the gallery's permanent collection in 2017
- Shoa's 'Giant Heads' series portrays British citizens from diverse ethnic and sexual backgrounds
- The artist works directly from life models using a palette without black or brown pigments
- Shoa's exhibition 'Face of Britain' runs at Southampton City Art Gallery until February 20, 2021
Entities
Artists
- Nahem Shoa
Institutions
- Laing Art Gallery
- Shipley Art Gallery
- National Portrait Gallery, London
- Royal Academy
- Southampton City Art Gallery
- The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
Locations
- London
- Notting Hill
- Southampton
- United Kingdom