Hey everyone! Last week I went to London to see the new Audrey Hepburn exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Audrey and her films have had a huge impact on my life; they have shaped the way in which I look at fashion and they also started my love for old Hollywood back when I was fifteen years old. Not only that, but Audrey's personal life and her philanthropy are things that I truly admire- for me, she is the ultimate role model. Therefore, when I found out that this exhibition will only be on show until October, there was no question about it: I had to go.
Seeing all the portraits together and being in a place solely dedicated to Audrey was a great experience, but, sadly, I was disappointed. This may be due to the fact that, as a massive Audrey fan, I had come across the majority of photographs before. However, I also felt that there should have been more information not only about each portrait, but about Audrey's life as a whole; I quote a review by The Guardian when I say that the exhibition is "beautiful, but unrevealing."
The exhibition consists of two and a half rooms filled with portraits, which show Audrey from a very young age and follow her journey to stardom. The images shown are mainly professional shots which were part of magazine articles or photo shoots. Even though I was slightly let down, I cannot deny that every photograph captures each key moment in Audrey's life beautifully. One of the rooms even includes a wall which displays quite a few magazine covers from the beginning to the end of Audrey's career.
There are a small number of memorabilia items, including a pair of Audrey's ballet shoes, which she wore when she trained as a ballet dancer in London. For me, this was the highlight of the day; seeing something that belonged to Audrey gives the exhibition a very personal touch and it gives you a greater insight into her life- It made me feel quite emotional!
Personally, I would have liked to have seen more memorabilia; I don't necessarily mean personal items, but perhaps something from one of her films: a pair of sunglasses, a pair of heels, or maybe a necklace. I know that this exhibition is dedicated to portraits, I was fully aware of that before I purchased the tickets, but when I saw the ballet shoes- which are right near the entrance- I was so surprised and I immediately got very excited to see more items, something which never happened.
Despite my criticism, I would still recommend this exhibition. Whether you are a huge fan, or simply someone interested in a specific aspect of Audrey Hepburn's life, you will definitely walk out with new facts about the actress.
The atmosphere is fantastic, and you really get a sense of how loved and admired Audrey is, even twenty-two years after her death and by a completely new generation.
Ana xo
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