Portraits of Raheem Sterling, Zadie Smith and Riz Ahmed are to go on display as part of an exhibition to celebrate the stories of “inspirational people of colour” connected to the London borough of Brent.
The exhibition, named Icons of Colour, has been commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery.
The gallery described the display as a “significant step” in its efforts to “increase the representation of women and black sitters and artists” in its collection.
England and Manchester City footballer Sterling, who grew up in Brent, has been hailed as “an inspiration for not only [the] community but across the country”, while actor Ahmed has hailed his hometown as “an incredible borough bursting with energy, talent and creativity”.
Smith was born in Brent and has set much of her writing in the borough’s Willesden area. The author became a household name with the 2000 publication of her first novel White Teeth, which picked up a host of awards including the Whitbread First Novel Award.
She said it was an “honour” to sit for the new full-length portrait, named…
