People Watching exhibit opens at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery

Dorset Museum & Art Gallery has opened People Watching, a major exhibition exploring portraiture in modern British art.

The exhibition brings together works from The Ingram Collection with the museum’s own collection, including several works never previously shown to the public.

Spanning more than a century from 1915 to the present day, the exhibition features around 50 works of painting, sculpture, drawing and photography by more than 40 artists.

It examines how artists have used portraiture to capture likeness, emotion and identity, from traditional representation to experimental and symbolic approaches.

The exhibition includes works by leading figures such as Elisabeth Frink, Bridget Riley, Stanley Spencer, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and RB Kitaj, alongside contemporary artists. Highlights include self-portraits by Roger Fry and RB Kitaj, rare medical drawings by Hepworth, and a previously unseen drawing by Frink.

Themes range from self-portraiture and family relationships to work, leisure and imaginative representations, offering a broad view of how portraiture has evolved in modern British art.

Claire Dixon, director of Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, said “We are thrilled and grateful to be working with The Ingram Collection to bring these internationally significant works of art to Dorset, showcasing them alongside our own collection, some of which has never been publicly displayed before.

“Exhibitions are the lifeblood of our programme, inspiring visitors to return again and again and this would not be possible without the philanthropic support of organisations like The Ingram Collection.

“Whether you visit, work or live in Dorset, there will be something for you to enjoy as the exhibition is also supported by works displayed throughout our galleries that will captivate for hours.”

Ingram Collection Director Jo Baring added: “This exhibition is a celebration of the power and versatility of portraiture – how it can reveal, conceal, question and transform. ‘People Watching’ offers a unique opportunity to experience modern British art through the lens of the human face, both familiar and fantastical.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Dorset Museum & Art Gallery to bring together such an ambitious range of works, some of which have never been seen in public before. It’s a chance to rediscover celebrated names and encounter fresh perspectives from new voices shaping the future of portraiture today.”

People Watching is now open until May 10 at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in Dorchester.