The Lodge has over 1,000 paintings, prints and photographs on its walls and in storage. Many of these images are portraits of former residents and members of the Royal Family. During their tour of the Lodge on the first day of the Youth Arts Takeover, the young people were asked to reflect on the artwork, and in particular, who is present and who is absent.
Working with artist Theresa Macharia, the group then explored techniques of photography and how different kinds of portraits can be created. For day two of the Takeover, they each brought an item that had a strong personal connection to their sense of heritage. They were then photographed with these items in a style reflective of the existing artwork, creating their own portraits that are in a conversation with the portraits on our walls. Their work is now on display around the building.
