A never-before-seen, full-length portrait of human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery for its Collection, and is now on display as part of the Gallery’s ground-floor ‘History Makers’ display. Painted by the artist Sarah Jane Moon to coincide with Tatchell’s 70th birthday on 25 January 2022, the portrait celebrates the sitter’s determination and leadership through nearly six decades of campaigning. This is the first painted portrait of Peter Tatchell – and the first by Sarah Jane Moon – to enter the Gallery’s Collection.
The portrait of Peter Tatchell is a near life size depiction and employs bright, gestural marks that are characteristic of Sarah Jane Moon’s work. A rainbow tie points to Tatchell’s work around LGBTQ+ issues, for which he is widely praised. Made in tribute and admiration for his human rights activism, the painting is one of a number of such portraits Moon has made of her LGBTQ+ heroes.
“I love the vibrant colours of Sarah-Jane’s portrait. She’s done the painting in bold and joyful style, which perfectly reflects the spirit of my campaigning. I’m honoured to have my portrait in the NPG, alongside so many illustrious public figures, past and present. I’m not sure I deserve it but I guess that after nearly 60 years of LGBT+ and human rights advocacy someone there is smiling on me.”
Peter Tatchell
Campaigner and Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation
“It has been a real honour to paint Peter and convey something of the respect and admiration I have for his lifelong commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and his wider environmental and human rights work. I am very conscious that it is because of his unwavering commitment to equality that I and many other younger LGBTQ+ people enjoy greater freedoms and I am constantly inspired by his focus and selflessness.”
Sarah Jane Moon
Artist
“Since reopening last year, the National Portrait Gallery has worked hard to ensure that our new displays better reflect the diversity of the UK. Continuing this important emphasis, I’m delighted that this portrait of Peter Tatchell, one of the most influential campaigners living today, by Sarah Jane Moon is going on display – alongside many more of the UK’s important ‘History Makers’.”
Sarah Howgate
Senior Curator of Contemporary Collections, National Portrait Gallery
Australian-born Peter Tatchell is a writer and prominent campaigner for LGBTQ+ and human rights. His accolades and achievements in the field of human rights are numerous. Having moved to London in 1971, Tatchell co-organised Britain’s first Pride March, which took place in London on 1 July 1972; co-founded the AIDS activist group ACT UP London in 1989; and was later a founding member of the direct action organisation OutRage!, which formed in 1990. Tatchell is also Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, an organisation that works to promote and protect the rights and freedoms of individuals and communities globally.
Sarah Jane Moon is a New Zealand born British painter, who lives and works in London and Sussex. Moon explores issues relating to queer identity and the performance of gender in her work, which often depicts people and symbolic objects in vibrant colour. Her use of heavy impasto, saturated colour and gestural mark making is energetic and distinctive. Moon has exhibited widely, including at the National Portrait Gallery’s Portrait Award in 2019 and 2020, but the artist’s portrait of Peter Tatchell is the first to become part of the Gallery’s Collection.
