Exhibitions
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I Dream a World: Selections from Brian Lanker's Portraits of Remarkable Black Women: Part IIFebruary 10, 2023 – September 10, 2023Portrait Gallery
The Portrait Gallery recently acquired all 75 portraits from the Pulitzer-Prize winning photographer’s series and is celebrating the acquisition with a two-part exhibition.
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One Life: Maya LinSeptember 30, 2022 – April 16, 2023Portrait Gallery
One Life: Maya Lin is the first biographical exhibition of the architect, sculptor, and environmentalist.
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I Dream a World: Selections from Brian Lanker’s Portraits of Remarkable Black Women: Part IJuly 8, 2022 – January 29, 2023Portrait Gallery
This exhibition features more than 25 photographs by Brian Lanker, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer.
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Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands, 1968-2020August 27, 2021 – May 30, 2022Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery presents the first major large-scale retrospective of work by Hung Liu, the internationally acclaimed Chinese-born American artist.
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Every Eye Is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United StatesNovember 13, 2020 – May 23, 2021Portrait Gallery
Every Eye Is Upon Me is the first major exhibition to explore the historical significance of this prominent position through the mode of portraiture.
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Her Story: A Century of Women WritersSeptember 18, 2020 – January 23, 2022Portrait Gallery
This exhibition drawn from the NPG collection highlights twenty-four noted women writers from the past one hundred years.
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One Life: Marian AndersonJune 28, 2019 – March 13, 2020Portrait Gallery
This exhibition examines the ways in which artists, concert promoters, and others wielded Marian Anderson's iconic likeness as a powerful symbol in the pursuit of civil rights.
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In Memoriam: Leah ChaseJune 4, 2019 – June 30, 2019Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery recognizes the life and legacy of Leah Chase with a painting by Gustave Blache III.
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Portrait of Julie Packard by Hope GangloffApril 23, 2019 – February 24, 2020Portrait Gallery
On display is a newly commissioned painting of Julie Packard, a leading figure in science and ocean conservation and the executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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Portraits of the World: KoreaDecember 14, 2018 – November 17, 2019Portrait Gallery
Pioneering feminist artist Yun Suk Nam (born 1939) uses portraiture to gain insights into the lives of women, past and present.
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In Memoriam: Aretha FranklinAugust 17, 2018 – August 22, 2018Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery recognizes the life of acclaimed singer and musician Aretha Franklin.
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Henrietta LacksMay 15, 2018 – March 31, 2019Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery recognizes the life of Henrietta Lacks with the installation of a 2017 portrait by Kadir Nelson.
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One Life: Sylvia PlathJune 30, 2017 – May 20, 2018Portrait Gallery
The exhibition reveals how Plath shaped her identity visually as she came of age as a writer in the 1950s. Visitors will get a look into Plath’s personal life and her dualistic nature.
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Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the ImageJune 16, 2017 – April 15, 2018Portrait Gallery
The biggest Hollywood star at a time when “talkies” were still new, Dietrich captured men’s hearts and women’s admiration on screen and off.
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Celebrate: Ella FitzgeraldApril 13, 2017 – May 14, 2017Portrait Gallery
April 25 marks the 100th birthday of American jazz and popular song vocalist Ella Fitzgerald. The museum is recognizing the anniversary by displaying her photograph by William Gottlieb for the first time in the museum.
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Althea GibsonJune 3, 2016 – June 5, 2016Portrait Gallery
Smithsonianmag.com voters choose between portraits of Gibson, Eleanor Holm and Helene Madison, and Duke Kahanamoku to go on view. Gibson’s photograph received the most votes.
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One Life: Dolores HuertaJuly 3, 2015 – May 15, 2016Portrait Gallery
One Life: Dolores Huerta highlights the significant role of this Latina leader in the California farm workers movement of the 1960s and 70s.
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Elaine de Kooning: PortraitsMarch 13, 2015 – January 10, 2016Portrait Gallery
Elaine de Kooning’s gestural portraits of friends and family were much admired during her lifetime, and included many well-known Americans.
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Cupcake KatyJune 18, 2014 – July 6, 2014Portrait Gallery
On view is a portrait of pop singer Katy Perry by distinguished New York academic portrait painter Will Cotton.
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In Memoriam: Maya AngelouMay 29, 2014 – June 12, 2014Portrait Gallery
See a portrait of writer, poet, and activist Maya Angelou (1928-1914) by painter Ross Rossin.
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