James Hunkin: Faces of Science
Past display archive
20 April - 15 September 2004
Room 38a
Free
Supported by Deloitte
These newly acquired photographs of prominent subjects drawn from the worlds of chemistry, earth science, engineering, life science, mathematics and physics were originally commissioned by NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) for Science Year.
Hunkin photographed 100 scientists with the brief to make science attractive to a new generation of aspirational school children and students. A selection of his subjects appeared on a series of large format posters, which were then distributed to colleges. The choice of subjects range from well-established household names such as Nobel Prize winners Sir John Sulston and Sir Harold Kroto to emerging talents such as Jim Al-Khalili and Catherine MacDonald. Hunkin's approach was to photograph his subjects on location, mainly out of their laboratories, in appropriate settings that reflected their scientific interests.
Sir Harold Walter Kroto
by James F. Hunkin
August 2001
NPG x126338
Christopher J. Budd
by James F. Hunkin
October 2001
NPG x126341
John Boscawen Burland
by James F. Hunkin
May 2001
NPG x126342
Dame Ann Patricia Dowling
by James F. Hunkin
November 2000
NPG x126343
Wilson Che Kei Poon
by James F. Hunkin
October 2000
NPG x126356
Dame Julia Stretton Higgins
by James F. Hunkin
July 2001
NPG x126348
James F. Hunkin was born in Manchester in 1958 and is a self-taught photographer. He has been taking portrait photographs since 1987. Two of his major projects have resulted in important photographic monographs. Changing Faces: A Decade at the Royal National Theatre (1997) was the summation of six years photographing people involved with the theatre. His portraits in Faces of Faith (1997) reflected the contemporary state of multi-faith Britain. Hunkin's work was first acquired for the National Portrait Gallery's collection in 1991.
These photographs have been acquired with support from the Deloitte Acquisition Fund.
Related portraits
- Dame Ann Patricia Dowling (NPG x126343)
- (William) Ian Liddell (NPG x126351)
- Wilson Che Kei Poon (NPG x126356)
- Martin John Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow (NPG x126357)
- Sir Harold Walter Kroto (NPG x126338)
- John Maxwell Roberts (NPG x126358)
- Sir John Edward Sulston (NPG x126360)
- Sir Martin Nicholas Sweeting (NPG x126361)
- Tsou Sheung Tsun (NPG x126363)
- Lesley J. Yellowlees (NPG x126364)
- Jim Al-Khalili (NPG x126339)
- Allan Bradley (NPG x126340)
- Christopher J. Budd (NPG x126341)
- John Boscawen Burland (NPG x126342)
- Hilary Downes (NPG x126344)
- Jim Feast (NPG x126345)
- Sue Gibson (NPG x126346)
- Angus Lamond (NPG x126350)
- Catherine MacDonald (NPG x126352)
- Paul Nurse (NPG x126354)
- Dame Julia Stretton Higgins (NPG x126348)
Related sitters
- Jim Al-Khalili
- Allan Bradley
- Christopher J. Budd
- John Boscawen Burland
- Dame Ann Patricia Dowling
- Hilary Downes
- William James ('Jim') Feast
- Susan ('Sue') Gibson
- Dame Julia Stretton Higgins
- Sir Harold Walter Kroto
- Angus Lamond
- (William) Ian Liddell
- Catherine MacDonald
- Sir Paul Maxime Nurse
- Wilson Che Kei Poon
- Martin John Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow
- John Maxwell Roberts
- Sir John Edward Sulston
- Sir Martin Nicholas Sweeting
- Tsou Sheung Tsun
- Lesley J. Yellowlees