Things To Do In London: Bailey's Stardust

The largest exhibition of iconic photographer, David Bailey's, portraits, has opened at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Ready for their close-ups

Bailey's Stardust, which runs until June, features superstar sitters like: the Rolling Stones, Kate Moss and Jack Nicholson. The stunning celebrity portraits, captured over the last five decades, also sit alongside documentary photographs from Papua New Guinea (1974) and images highlighting the 1985 famine in East Africa, taken to support the work of the Band Aid charity.

"Bailey’s Stardust is a very special event. It offers an exceptional opportunity to enjoy the widest range of the mercurial portraits created by David Bailey, one of the world’s greatest image-makers." Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London

There are more than 300 portraits, including new work, and Bailey has made new silver gelatin prints of his black-and-white portraits especially for the exhibition. The theme, which is indicated in the title, is we are all made from, and return to, ‘stardust’.

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"My favourite portraits were those of Michael Caine, I just loved the vibrancy of the images. The Jack Nicholson ones were also wonderful. I also really liked the photographs from Africa and Papua New Guinea, it made an interesting juxtaposition with the celebrity shots. The unconventional nude pictures were striking and I enjoyed the pictures he had taken of other photographers, like Man Ray. The curation is interesting as there are not too many photos each room, so you can really absorb each image and take everything in. I felt really energised after going and it was a nice, relaxing thing to do after a ridiculously busy day at work." - Alison Traboulsi - Senior Social Media Manager, lastminute.com

Where:

The National Portrait Gallery;St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE. The nearest Underground stations are either Leicester Square or Charing Cross.

Exhibition Dates

6 February - 1 June 2014 Their opening hours are on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday: 10am – 6pm (Gallery closure commences at 5.50pm). Late Opening times are: Thursday, Friday: 10am – 9pm

Tickets

Full price £16.00, Senior citizens £14.50, Concessions £13.50. These can be ordered on line from the National Portrait Gallery or can be bought on the door; subject to availability. Let us know if you are visiting the exhibition. We would love to know what images struck you as particularly powerful. Leave a comment below to let us know your thoughts on this exceptional exhibition.