Chris Levine
"I wanted to make a portrait that was an evolutionary step forward from all that had been created to date. It was a challenge to which I applied my heart and soul."
Levine deploys a multidisciplinary approach across many fields including music, performance, installation, fashion and design. He has worked with a wide range of collaborators, including Massive Attack, Grace Jones, Asprey Jewellers and has an ongoing relationship with The Eden Project. Five of his works are held in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery. He has been featured in a variety of publications, including The Financial Times, The New York Times, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, BBC, CNN, Time Magazine, The Telegraph, The Guardian, GQ Magazine, Tatler, and Forbes.
Levine is perhaps best known for creating two iconic portraits of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Lightness of Being and Equanimity. The latter was commissioned by the Jersey Heritage Trust in 2004, and on 1 June 2012, a £100 note based on the portrait was issued to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The former was based on an image captured during the photo sessions for Equanimity. It has been described as perhaps the most beautiful portrait of any royal figure.
