The last time I visited the National Portrait Gallery I wondered why there were a group of teenagers gathered around my portrait of the "Golfing Sisters" staring earnestly and obviously in deep discussion. My curiousity got the better of me and I approached one of them and asked her for their feedback. She explained that they were part of the Youth Forum, a partnership with the NPG's Photographer's Gallery Forum.
They felt that the portrait represented a close and informal relationship with the photographer and that came through in the way the sisters responded to the camera and photographer, relaxed and intrigued. Overall the teenagers felt it was a very positive image that was uplifting and iconic in its Britishness! They had also been looking in to my history and finding out about First Women. It was great to hear them say that the project was an inspiration to them as young women.
I took a picture of two of the students - here they are in front of my portrait of the Golfing Sisters.
Renee (on the right) is a first year photography student at the college, coincidentally, where I studied, PCL, now called the University of Westminster. Remi is a 3rd year student at Wimbledon; majoring in Photography.
Anita, Creator of FirstWomenUK
