British artist Es Devlin has launched a participatory public artwork titled "A National Portrait for the National Portrait Gallery," inviting all 69 million U.K. residents to upload selfies that are transformed into charcoal-and-chalk-style portraits using an AI model trained on Devlin’s drawings. The portraits appear on a framed screen in the museum’s History Makers gallery, and the project runs through October 27, accompanied by online and onsite drawing classes.
This project matters because it directly challenges the National Portrait Gallery’s historical focus on elite figures, using technology to create a constantly evolving collective portrait of the entire nation. At a time of heated debate over immigration and national identity in the U.K., Devlin’s work reframes portraiture as an inclusive, democratic act, building on her earlier refugee-focused project "Congregation" and marking her continued shift from stage design to fine art.