Did you know, according to the National Portrait Gallery, HM The Queen has (so far!) sat for 967 associated portraits? That is around 10 per year, for 96 years. It is undeniable that, like herself, her image has become iconic around the world.
She has been Queen to 14 British Prime Ministers, been on the throne for 6 Catholic Popes, hosts over 50,000 people per year at Royal receptions, has received over 3.5 million items of correspondence as monarch and has sent over 37,500 Christmas cards!
Amazingly, alongside her many achievements, the Queen has also found time to be a patron to over 600 charities and organisations – one of which is Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Someone that truly knows the value of the incredible work the team at GOSH do is Carne Griffiths. The acclaimed Liverpool-born artist, known for his creative use of teas, alcohol and inks to paint with, has a personal gratitude to the hospital. Having had first-hand experience as a parent himself of the care, love and support the world-leading London-based hospital provides to children and families himself, it is an apt and personal choice for the painter to pick Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity as the beneficiary of his forthcoming Jubilee charity celebration artwork - commemorating two British institutions via his unorthodox use of mixed media.
‘The Platinum Queen’, pictured below, is a limited edition print of just 70 in total worldwide (plus 20 Artist Proofs), one for each year of HM The Queen’s time as British monarch. Characteristically for Carne Griffiths – they will be entirely unique. Each piece will be hand finished by the artist, produced using mixed media and with three screen printed layers (a fluorescent, a diamond dust, and a genuine platinum leaf layer) making each one a completely unique artwork. The global release is to be held at the height of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations on Saturday 4th June at 12pm.
£150 from each sale of the limited edition prints will go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity). The money raised will help support the most urgent needs of Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), of which the Queen is the patron. It could fund research into pioneering new treatments for children, provide the most up to date medical equipment, fund support services for children and their families, and support the essential rebuilding and refurbishment of the hospital.
The project has already been a significant charity fundraiser. The Anderson Foundation’s Christmas Luncheon, held at the glamorous Rosewood Hotel in London on December 3rd 2021 hosted the sale of the regal original artwork, selling for an impressive £25,000 with all proceeds of the day going to a number of charities, including £20,000 from the sale of the original artwork benefitting GOSH Charity. The RRP of the limited edition artwork is priced at £1550.
For Griffiths, a highly celebrated young contemporary British painter who has an impressive back catalogue of portraiture works to his name already, this will not be a Royal introduction - as the former creative director had his work proudly featured on the embroidered cover of the 80th Royal Variety Performance programme in 2008.
Enness clients and subscribers are being offered a first-in-line opportunity to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and add a prestigious portrait of HM The Queen to their art collections, painted by one of the UK’s leading contemporary artists – with special access granted even before the forthcoming global release especially for our readers. Not only are you able to support the project immediately, but each collector will receive a certificate of authenticity signed by West Contemporary founder, Liam West FRSA, and international and UK-based Enness directed collectors will also receive free shipping and preferential treatment for lower and highly requested edition numbers.
To find out more about this special charity collaboration, please contact West Contemporary via [email protected] and be sure to include ‘Enness’ in the subject email. You can find out more about Carne Griffiths here, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity here, and ‘The Platinum Queen’ project itself here.
