Sam Smith painting unveiled at London’s National Portrait Gallery
Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard have delivered their take on Smith.
By Nick Reilly
A new painting of Sam Smith has been unveiled at London’s National Portrait Gallery – you can check it out in all its glory below.
The new creation is the work of duo Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard (aka Pierre et Gilles). The pair are known for their portrayals of high profile figures, having previously offered their take on Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Tilda Swinton.
Now, Smith is the latest famous face to get the Pierre et Gilles treatment. They’ll appear alongside pictures of Harry Styles and LGBTQ+ campaigner Peter Tatchell as part of the National Portrait Gallery’s History Makers gallery.
The piece, loaned from Smith’s personal collection, is named Gloria after Smith’s their album and sees the star playing the harp in what appears to be a heavenly environment. In the shot, Smith also wears a pair of white angel wings from fashion brand JW Anderson.
The creation began life as a photograph which Smith posed for, before the pair hand painted it and delivered a fresh take.
“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,” said Smith.
“I was so happy when the National Portrait Gallery asked me if they could loan the piece.”
They added: ““It’s very important to me to support the arts. Being in their new ‘History Makers’ section is an honour.”
Clare Freestone, Curator Of Photography at the National Portrait 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.”
Elsewhere, Smith recently unveiled a new version of ‘I’m Not The Only One’ featuring Alicia Keys. The track will feature on the 10th anniversary edition of the singer’s 2014 debut album, In The Lonely Hour, which arrives tomorrow (August 2).