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At Home
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Its Spring 2010a by David Lane
The National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
1000 DAYS TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES LAUNCHES WITH MAJOR NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC COMMISSION – THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY/ BT ROAD TO 2012 PROJECT
Antonn Russek (b1983) David Skerritt (b1966) Stephen Deeble (b1958), Clare Staveley (b1980) Olympic Park, Hackney, London Copyright: © Brian Griffin - National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
Lord Coe, Dame Kelly Holmes, BT and the National Portrait Gallery launch a major London 2012 Cultural Olympiad project that will create a photographic record of the people across the country making the Games happen
To celebrate 1000 days to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Sebastian Coe launches the National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project, a three-year collaboration between the National Portrait Gallery and BT, the official communications services partner for London 2012. It will create 100 world-class photographic portraits celebrating the people around the UK, both high-profile and those behind the scenes, who collectively are making the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games happen.
Alison Nimmo (b1964) and Jason Prior (b1961) AECOM/EDAW Offices, London Copyright: © Brian Griffin - National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
BT, announced today as a Premier Partner of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, is providing the funding for this project, making it possible for the National Portrait Gallery to undertake the ambitious programme of commissions between now and spring 2012. The first group is unveiled today at the National Portrait Gallery. These portraits depict some of those who conceived and won the bid for London and some of the men and women now designing and delivering the Olympic Park infrastructure and other London 2012 venues.
Michael (Mike) Dobriskey (b1959) and Lisa Dobriskey (b1983) Olympic Park, Hackney, London Copyright: © Brian Griffin - National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
Brian Griffin, internationally renowned photographer, has been commissioned for the first body of work. Griffin’s images draw from classical sculpture, nineteenth century symbolism and B-movies to create photographs of great strength and stillness. Shot on locations that range from the Olympic Park to the original 2012 offices at the time of the winning bid, he uses the formal qualities of studio portraits to convey both dynamism and reflection, all the more remarkable since the photographer’s choice of composition is not determined until meeting his subjects at the sittings.
Denise Lewis (b1972) and Jonathan Edwards (b1966) LOCOG Offices, Canary Wharf, London Copyright: © Brian Griffin - National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
The first commissioned portraits include those involved in winning the bid, the delivery stage of London 2012 and those with extraordinary personal stories and family connections:
- Olympic Gold medallists and Sports Ambassadors for the bid, Jonathan Edwards and Denise Lewis
- Sutveer Kaur, Alex Loukos, Katie Murphy and Gurpreet Virdee, four of the 30 ‘Young Ambassadors’, who were invited as members of the London 2012 delegation to the final stage of winning the bid in Singapore
- Sir Keith Mills, Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) and Sir Craig Reedie, Board Member of the International Olympic Committee and, at the time of the bid, Chair of the British Olympic Authority
- Olympic Park masterplanner Jason Prior, President of EDAW/AECOM, is photographed in his office together with Olympic Development Authority Director of Design and Regeneration, Alison Nimmo
- Mike Dobriskey, a member of Olympic Park decontamination team, is portrayed on-site with his daughter, the 2009 World Championship1500 metre silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey
- Steve Deeble, Antonn Russek, Dave Skerritt and Clare Staveley, engineers working on soil cleaning, a key part of the sustainability promise for the Olympic Park
These six portraits will be on display at the Gallery for one week from 30th October – 5th November 2009.
Katie Murphy (b1987), Gurpreet Virdee (b1991), Sutveer Kaur (b1989), Alex Loukos (b1992) Langdon School, East Ham Copyright: © Brian Griffin - National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
Further annual commissions from high-profile and emerging photographers will document sporting aspiration and performance as well as the staging and legacy of London 2012. The portraits will form a lasting record of the Games accessible to the public for many generations to come.
Confirmed sitters for 2010 include Paralympians Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ade Adepitan, both Sports Ambassadors on the bid team. Construction industry apprentices whose employment skills have been transformed by the legacy promises of the bid will also be represented.
Sir Craig Reedie (b1941) and Sir Keith Mills (b1950) Original 2012 Offices, Canary Wharf, London Copyright: © Brian Griffin - National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project
Each subsequent phase of the Project will be displayed free to the public at the Gallery in the summers of 2010, 2011 and 2012. The final display in summer 2012 will overlap with the staging of the Games and will include a larger retrospective showing of highlights of all the commissioned work.
An integrated participation programme for people living and working in the five Olympic host boroughs will explore the contributions and views on the vision and legacy of London 2012 in their local areas, resulting in display and interpretation material.
The Project website will launch in summer 2010 and visitors will be able to track and interact with the Project through video and interviews and follow the commissioning process through a regular blog. Website visitors will be able to view new portraits, participate in debates and add comments and ideas as they join the journey on the road to London 2012.
Photographer Brian Griffin says: ‘What an honour it is for me to be chosen to launch this exciting project, affording me the opportunity to leave a legacy of photographs of the people that have both brought and are delivering the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.’
Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, says: ‘The launch of this ambitious project, made possible by BT, is an important moment for the National Portrait Gallery. It focuses on inspirational figures who have brought the Games to London and are now building the Olympic Park.’
Seb Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), says: “With 1000 days to go, millions of people are already joining in on our journey to London 2012. The portraits we are unveiling today showcase the stories of some of the people who have already played a key role in inspiring, delivering and benefitting from London 2012. We are delighted that BT is partnering the National Portrait Gallery – and is today becoming a Premier Partner of the Cultural Olympiad – which is already giving millions of people a chance to be part of London 2012.”
Suzi Williams, Director of Group Marketing and Brand, BT, says: ‘As the official communications services partner for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we believe our role is not just to install the communications services to deliver the most connected Games ever; it’s also to help tell the story of the Games – to engage the nation with the people and places at the heart of the London 2012 story. This fantastic project will ensure that London 2012 is documented for generations to come – and we’re really proud to be making this possible.’
To celebrate the National Portrait Gallery/BT Road to 2012 Project, tomorrow BT is launching a portrait competition looking for the pictures and stories of the everyday people who are making a difference to the London 2012 Games.
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