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Shami Chakrabarti

1 of 2 portraits of Shami Chakrabarti

Shami Chakrabarti, by Gillian Wearing, 2011 - NPG - © National Portrait Gallery, London; commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery with the support of J.P. Morgan through the Fund for New Commissions

© National Portrait Gallery, London; commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery with the support of J.P. Morgan through the Fund for New Commissions

Shami Chakrabarti

by Gillian Wearing
gelatin silver print, 2011
36 5/8 in. x 31 1/2 in. (929 mm x 800 mm)
Commissioned; made possible by J.P. Morgan through the Fund for New Commissions, 2011
Primary Collection
NPG 6923


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Sitterback to top

  • Shami Chakrabarti (1969-), Lawyer and human rights campaigner; director of Liberty. Sitter in 2 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Gillian Wearing (1963-), Artist. Artist of 1 portrait, Sitter in 4 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Taken with a large-format camera, the sitter is shown holding a wax mask of herself which hangs from a ribbon. The notion of the 'mask' has previously occupied Wearing but, in this case, the idea was prompted by the sitter, who commented in their first meeting that her public persona is mask-like, often interpreted as 'grim' and 'worthy'.

Subject/Themeback to top