Heroes Not Zombies

I think one of the loveliest buildings in Edinburgh (inside AND out) is the National Portrait Gallery in Queen Street.

Until the 21st of September they have a special exhibition on show – the Vanity Fair Portraits 1913 – 2008.

I can’t emphasise enough the difference between looking at an image on the web, or in a book, and actually seeing the original in a gallery. As I walked into this exhibition the first portait I saw was of Isadora Duncan.

isadora duncan

Now, that photo doesn’t look much in this small form, does it? But in the original, large portrait, it is simply stunning. The exuberance of Isadora makes her seem as if she is filling the entire image, yet the smallness of her inbetween the huge pillars makes her seem tiny. Somehow, as you stand in front of this portrait, you can perceive both her greatness and her smallness at exactly the same moment. It’s unnerving, it’s amazing and it’s intensely moving. Well, that was the first portrait I stopped to look at and one after the other this fabulous collection totally captivated me.

One strong theme runs through many of these images – the uniqueness and the impressiveness of the subjects. Powerful, vibrant, unique human beings. I strongly recommend this exhibition. If you can’t get to Edinburgh look out for these portraits being shown near you.