Noel Gallagher has expressed his excitement and gratitude at being honored with a portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, despite his admitted discomfort with having his picture taken. The Oasis songwriter described himself as a “grumpy middle-aged man” but was nonetheless thrilled about the recognition. The portrait, taken by photographer Zoe Law, is set to be unveiled on November 29 as part of the gallery’s Legends exhibition and will be included in the permanent collection after the exhibit concludes on March 2 next year.
Noel Gallagher’s black-and-white headshot will be displayed alongside portraits of other prominent figures such as England World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton, actor Orlando Bloom, and a previously unseen photograph of Canadian actress Kim Cattrall. Noel Gallagher’s inclusion in the prestigious gallery marks a significant personal achievement, and he expressed his gratitude for the honor. “The thought of the portrait of a grumpy middle-aged man, who frankly hates having his picture taken, being permanently displayed for future generations to marvel at is very special. Thanks and praise,” Noel Gallagher said.
Zoe Law, the London-based photographer who captured Noel Gallagher’s portrait, shared her excitement about the acquisition, calling it “the greatest honor” and a dream come true for portrait photographers and artists. Sabina Jaskot-Gill, the senior curator of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, also expressed her delight at adding Noel Gallagher’s portrait to the collection. She hopes the monochromatic portraits will inspire future generations of photographers and visitors to the gallery.
In related news, Noel Gallagher’s brother Liam, who is also a member of Oasis, expressed his frustration over the ticket pricing issues affecting the band’s upcoming reunion shows. Fans have been dismayed by Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing system, which saw the cost of standard tickets rise significantly, from £148 to £355. In response to this controversy, Oasis has added two more dates at Wembley Stadium on September 27 and 28, implementing a lottery system to offer tickets to fans who were logged into their Ticketmaster accounts on August 31. Liam Gallagher took to social media to express his sorrow for the fans unable to secure tickets, stating that he was “seriously gutted” and emphasizing that his feelings were sincere.
