Sam Smith called their feature in the national museum ‘an honour’ and the bespoke painting a ‘dream come true’.
The chart-topping artist, 32, has become a defining part of the British music landscape thanks to their award-winning albums stretching from 2014’s In The Lonely Hour to 2023’s Gloria including hits such as Stay With Me and Pray.
Alongside their musical success, the non-binary singer has also been a vocal advocate for trans rights, featured on the Oscar-winning Barbie soundtrack and even made a cameo in HBO’s hit spin-off And Just Like That.
Now, as the star prepares to celebrate their decade-long solo career on the stage at the BBC Proms, the National Portrait Gallery is displaying a scantily-clad portrait of Sam pride of place in their new History Makers section.
The JW Anderson designed work, titled Gloria, is part of the singer’s own collection and shows them sitting in heavenly surroundings decked with white columns and pink flowers as they play a harp, while wearing angel wings and a gold crown.
A sharp departure from the devil-themed aesthetic they have become well-known for since their discourse-sparking live performance of number one hit Unholy.
The piece, created by French art duo Pierre et Gilles [Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard] in 2023, has never been seen by the public before.
The music artist, known for their eye-catching outfits, said: ‘I have admired the beautiful work of Pierre et Gilles for years, their incredible portraits of icons like Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Almond are truly iconic, and to sit for them was a dream come true.
‘Working once again with Jonathan Anderson on the look was a beautiful experience. I was so happy when the National Portrait Gallery asked me if they could loan the piece
‘It’s very important to me to support the arts. Being in their new History Makers section is an honour.’
The artists who created the painting made it by first taking a photo of Sam posing, before then hand painting and embellishing the image.
The gallery described the portrait as a mix of ‘reality, daily life, dreams and fantasies’.
Clare Freestone, curator of photography at the gallery, added: ‘I’m absolutely delighted that Sam has agreed to lend this incredible work to the National Portrait Gallery.
‘An amazing moment for Sam’s fans to connect on a deeper level with the portrait.
‘Its display presents a unique opportunity for visitors to see a much-loved artwork, borrowed from the singer’s own collection and on show for the first time in a public art gallery.’
Harry Styles and Pride In London co-founder Peter Tatchell will also feature in the exhibition.
As well as their BBC Proms performance of their debut album with the BBC Concert Orchestra on August 2, Sam will also drop a 10th-anniversary edition of their debut album featuring I’m Not The Only One with Alicia Keys.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
