Portraits in Silence by Christopher Hanson

About

19th July - 13th September | 2025 | 10am - 4pm

New Art Exchange

FREE Event

Step into the world of Christopher Hanson's powerful new exhibition, Portraits in Silence – The Symbolism of Identity. Through a captivating series of large-scale, realistic portraits, Hanson challenges traditional notions of representation, focusing on individuals who have been historically excluded from classical portraiture. Trained at the London Academy of Representational Art, Hanson's classical approach is grounded in an exploration of identity, race, and culture.

Drawing on his unique experience as the first and only Black artist to graduate from the London Academy of Representational Art – an atelier school with traditional teaching methods – Hanson's work explores the beauty, fascination and complexity of Black and Brown bodies, which historically have been depicted in painting as exotic, hyper-sexual and hyper-masculine. In this new exhibition, the artist invites viewers to see beyond this and connect with the raw, intimate stories of those historically excluded from classical painting or on the margins of society.

Portraits in Silence showcases new works developed during Hanson's residencies at The Art House (TAH) in 2022 and 2023. A new body of work introduces individuals who Hanson worked closely, who have experienced the asylum process and are part of TAH's Studio of Sanctuary. These portraits give voice to refugees and those who have had to seek sanctuary in the UK, shedding light on personal histories that are often hidden or overlooked in traditional portraiture.