Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025 and Exploring Identity
If you’re looking for an exhibition to get lost in this spring and summer, the Laing Art Gallery has you covered. Bringing together two complementary shows, it’s a chance to explore portrait painting in a way that feels both historic and completely current.
The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025 (now in its 43rd year) takes centre stage, with 46 shortlisted works that tackle themes such as identity, relationships, grief and cultural heritage. There’s a striking self-portrait from this year’s winner, Moira Cameron, alongside Michelle Liu’s Kofi, which picked up the Young Artist Award.
Alongside it, Exploring Identity pulls together standout portraits from the Laing, Shipley and Hatton collections, featuring names like Francis Bacon and Norman Cornish. It adds context and depth, reminding us that portraits aren’t just about how someone looks, but everything that’s shaped who they are.
