It is such a delight to know that the Duchess of Cambridge and the National Portrait Gallery have collaborated for a wonderful coffee table book.
This new initiative, which is spearheaded by the Duchess of Cambridge, features all the 100 portraits displayed last year at the well-received “Hold Still” exhibition. These photographs were taken by people from the different parts of the United Kingdom, which highlight individual and collective experiences during the country’s first national lockdown. People of all ages were invited to submit a photographic portrait, taken in a six-week period from May until June 2020. The photographs emphasized three core themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness. According to a statement by the National Portrait Gallery, “the images convey humour and grief, creativity and kindness, tragedy and hope – expressing and exploring both our shared and individual experiences.”
Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020 includes an introduction written by the duchess, who is the patron of the National Portrait Gallery. She was also actively involved with the exhibition, serving with the specialist panel that selected the 100 images from over 31,000 submissions.
“When we look back at the COVID-19 pandemic in decades to come, we will think of the challenges we all faced – the loved ones we lost, the extended isolation from our families and friends and the strain placed on our key workers. But we will also remember the positives: the incredible acts of kindness, the helpers and heroes who emerged from all walks of life, and how together we adapted to a new normal,” the duchess wrote on the introduction.
“Through Hold Still, I wanted to use the power of photography to create a lasting record of what we were all experiencing – to capture individuals’ stories and document significant moments for families and communities as we lived through the pandemic,” she added.
“For me, the power of the images is in the poignant and personal stories that sit behind them. I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to some of the photographers and sitters, to hear their stories first-hand – from moments of joy, love and community spirit, to deep sadness, pain, isolation and loss,” the 39-year-old royal penned.
Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020 will be available online and in bookstores beginning May 7, but copies may be pre-ordered already. Click here to get a copy. Proceeds will be donated to the National Portrait Gallery and the mental health charity Mind.
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