Chris Levine, Lightness of Being / Freedom Edition, 2021
In celebration of the Platinum Jubilee, Hidden are proud to present Chris Levine's iconic portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 'Lightness of Being'.
To honour their 800th year of allegiance to the Crown, in 2004 the Island of Jersey commissioned a portrait of the Queen by the Canada-born and UK-based light artist and photographer Chris Levine. The official portrait, titled 'Equanimity' by Her Majesty and Levine, is a compelling three-dimensional holographic image produced by combining 10,000 stereo images taken in bursts of 200.
The process of capturing so many images required an immense amount of patience and stillness, so Levine encouraged Her Majesty to rest in between takes. It was in one of these moments of rest that Levine caught the image which would quickly become recognised as one of the most important works of the 21st Century.
'Lightness of Being' sees the most famous woman in the world in an unprecedented state of intimacy and serenity. Levine's passion for meditation is immediately evident, with the Queen's restful visage perfectly complementing her simple, yet elegant styling. Selected by Levine, Her Majesty is seen in a classic deep blue dress, a single line of pearls and the Diamond Diadem, one of the most understated Crown Jewels. Deemed 'the most evocative image of a royal by any artist', this piece offers a rare opportunity to understand Her Majesty on a remarkably personal level.
After conjuring such a special image, Levine received permission from Her Majesty to release 'Lightness of Being' aside from the official release of 'Equanimity'. He has since reproduced it in a number of limited colourways, each of which grants a new perspective on the image. Shown here is the 'Freedom' edition of the work, a Giclee print on Aluminium Composite panel, which adopts a natural, yet ethereal colour palette to showcase the serene elegance of the image.
For more information on this work, or any of the other editions which we are proud to hold, do get in touch today.
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June 2, 2022
