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Steve McQueen

(1969-), Artist and film director

Sitter in 4 portraits
Born to Grenadian and Trinidadian parents, McQueen was raised in Hanwell, West London. Despite his dyslexia and experiencing racism at school, he continued his studies at Goldsmiths, where he pursued a Fine Art degree and first became interested in film. McQueen's first major film, presented at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, was Bear (1993), a 10 minute silent film shot in black and white. His feature film Hunger (2008), about the 1981 Irish hunger strike, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He was the first British director to win the 'Caméra d'Or' award for first-time directors at Cannes. In October 2016, McQueen was awarded the British Film Institute's highest honour, the BFI Fellowship.

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Steve McQueen, by Chris Floyd - NPG x137337

Steve McQueen

by Chris Floyd
C-type colour print, May 2008
NPG x137337

Steve McQueen, by Eva Vermandel - NPG x133048

Steve McQueen

by Eva Vermandel
C-type colour print, 29 April 2009
NPG x133048

'The British Council 70 Years at the Venice Biennale', by Julian Germain - NPG x132893

'The British Council 70 Years at the Venice Biennale'

by Julian Germain
archival inkjet print, 21 October 2009
NPG x132893

Steve McQueen, by Giles Price - NPG x199355

Steve McQueen

by Giles Price
C-type colour print, 2013
NPG x199355

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