National Portrait Gallery launches Artist Focus series with Issy Wood self-portrait exhibition
The National Portrait Gallery in London has launched Artist Focus, a contemporary initiative aimed at transforming the concept of portraiture. This complimentary series will feature three solo exhibitions each year in the Weston Wing, with the inaugural show, Issy Wood: Self-Portraits, running from 9 October 2026 to 28 February 2027. It marks the first significant exhibition of Wood’s self-portraits, showcasing twelve pieces from her ongoing series that began in 2020, including seven that have never been publicly displayed. The exhibition features Self portrait 2 (2021) from the Gallery’s permanent collection alongside eleven works from the artist’s collection. Born in 1993 in North Carolina and now residing in the UK, Wood examines themes of intimacy, desire, and identity through her art. The Contemporary Council, which includes founding members like The Bukhman Foundation and Christian Levett, supports this program. Chief Curator Dr. Flavia Frigeri highlighted the Gallery’s legacy of innovation since its establishment in 1856. Wood’s artwork is part of prestigious collections, including those of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Tate.
Key facts
- Artist Focus is a new contemporary programme at the National Portrait Gallery, launching in the Weston Wing with three free solo exhibitions per year.
- The inaugural exhibition is Issy Wood: Self-Portraits, running 9 October 2026 – 28 February 2027.
- The exhibition includes twelve paintings from Wood's self-portrait series begun in 2020, with seven works never exhibited publicly.
- Self portrait 2 (2021) is from the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection; eleven works are from the artist's own collection.
- Issy Wood (b. 1993, North Carolina) studied at Goldsmiths and the Royal Academy of Art in London and is based in the UK.
- The programme is supported by the Gallery's new Contemporary Council, with founding members including The Bukhman Foundation, Cingilli Collection, The Firebird Collection, Jane Chao Lee, Christian Levett and Musee FAMM Mougins, Ryan Taylor Collection, and Lady Ina Sarikhani Weston.
- Chief Curator Dr Flavia Frigeri highlighted the Gallery's history of innovation since 1856.
- Wood's work is in collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tate, Fondation Beyeler, Hammer Museum, and others.
Entities
Artists
- Issy Wood
Institutions
- National Portrait Gallery
- Carlos/Ishikawa
- VeneKlasen
- Goldsmiths
- Royal Academy of Art
- Kistefos
- Schinkel Pavillon
- TANK Shanghai
- Aspen Art Museum
- Lafayette Anticipations
- Ilmin Museum of Art
- Dallas Museum of Art
- Fondation Beyeler
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Hammer Museum
- Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
- Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Tate
- The Bukhman Foundation
- Cingilli Collection
- The Firebird Collection
- Musee FAMM Mougins
- Ryan Taylor Collection
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- North Carolina
- Norway
- Berlin
- Germany
- Shanghai
- China
- Aspen
- United States
- Paris
- France
- Seoul
- South Korea
- Riehen
- Switzerland
- Los Angeles
- Boston
- Miami
- Humlebaek
- Denmark
- New York
- Houston