Two important shows are opening at the Laing Art Gallery this March that will invite visitors to embark upon a profound journey through the human experience with exhibitions that bridge the gap between historic portrait tradition and cutting-edge contemporary art.

Now in its 43rd year, the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award is the National Portrait Gallery’s celebrated painting competition, and this year’s display features 46 portraits selected by an expert panel of judges, offering a raw and diverse look at life in the 21st century. The collection delves into deeply personal and universal themes, including cultural heritage, companionship, sexuality, illness, and grief, and visitors can expect to see the work of world-class talent including Moira Cameron (the exhibition’s winner, featured for her striking self-portrait), Michelle Liu (winner of the Young Artist Award for the portrait ‘Kofi’), Tim Benson and Martyn Harris (the second and third prize winners, recognized for their works ‘Cliff, Outreach Worker’ and ‘Memories’, respectively). Of the other works on show I’d particularly like to pick out Camila Carlow’s stunningly rendered ‘Mikael’, Ant Carver’s fresh and vibrant ‘Old Friends or Familiar Foes’ (which depicts the sitter alongside three Alsatian dogs), Xu Yang’s evocative ‘Tangled Waves Leda and the Swan with Tang Dynasty Style Make Up’, and Tallulah Hutson’s ‘Waiting in Shade’ – which has shades of 1970s David Hockney about it.

To provide a rich historical backdrop to these modern works, the Laing has also curated ‘Exploring Identity’. This exhibition draws from the esteemed collections of the Laing, Shipley, and Hatton Galleries to examine how the concept of “self” has evolved over time. This showcase features masterpieces by icons such as Francis Bacon, Frederic Leighton, and John Lavery, and local history is also well-represented, with works by famous north-east artists including Norman Cornish, Robert Jobling, and Harry Thubron. I also love Charles Wynne Nicholls tender ‘Portrait of a Lady under a Tree’ (pictured - 1864) and Bartolomeo Passarotti’s beguiling ‘Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Statuette’ (1575).

Within these galleries, a portrait is treated as more than a physical likeness; it is an embodiment of personal experiences and hopes for the future, and Julie Milne, Chief Curator of Art Galleries at North East Museums, notes that the arrival of the Portrait Award served as a “creative catalyst” to re-examine the region's own art collections. The result is a comprehensive look at individuality and selfhood that spans from the 16th century to the present day.

‘Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025’ and ‘Exploring Identity’, 28 March-5 September, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing