NG Stories launches: hear the tales you’d never know existed

This week marks the launch of NG Stories: Making a National Gallery, an exciting new immersive digital experience that delves deep into the human histories surrounding the National Gallery. Running from 4 October 2024 to 12 January 2025, this exhibition is set to captivate audiences by highlighting the lives and contributions of those often forgotten in the annals of art history, including 14 Victorian children who grew up within the Gallery’s walls. NG Stories is part of the NG200 digital engagement programme, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and promises to blend the digital with the physical, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the Gallery’s 200-year history. This initiative brings to life the stories of the Gallery’s first housemaid, the Keepers, and porters who resided in the building, as well as the key figures involved in the acquisition of artworks for the nation. Visitors will explore two rooms on the Gallery’s ground floor. The first features interactive and immersive elements that place the visitor at the heart of the experience. The second room takes them on an audio-visual journey through the Gallery’s rich past, enhanced by a soundscape that blends ambient sounds from bustling public areas with behind-the-scenes recordings of staff at work. The exhibition also reimagines the famous wartime concerts of pianist Myra Hess, combining archival footage with a new soundscape. This segment shines a light on the people behind these concerts, including composer Howard Ferguson and Joyce Grenfell, who famously quipped about the concert sandwiches, ‘We made sandwiches that became justly famous for being complementary… Read More