Portraits of NHS heroes to feature in new art exhibition

“Will ‘Amanda’ become the face of recent history as new exhibition puts NHS Heroes at the fore, writes Christopher Walker.

South London’s art lovers will have to wait until after May 17 to get back into the galleries.

But there is an exemption for commercial galleries, which is allowing one major exhibition to go ahead.

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition is running until May 12.

And the portraits of NHS heroes will steal the show.

This annual exhibition shows more than 200 recent portraits and “celebrates the diversity of this fascinating genre.”

It also shows the popularity of commissioning painted portraits by institutions and individuals.

This year it is the striking portraits of NHS heroes.

Will “Amanda” become the face of our recent history? Submissions of work from artists were up 76 per cent on last year’s open call at 4,401 works.

Perhaps helped by the BP Portrait Prize not running and a new prize being awarded, The William Lock Portrait Prize worth £20,000.

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition runs from May 6-15 at Mall Galleries