The ‘Long Vac’ is called ‘long’ for a reason and I did not want to waste a second of it. When I saw the National Portrait Gallery had set up a new volunteering scheme, I knew I had to jump at the chance. Not only was this an opportunity to get out of the house during the summer and do something, but it was an exciting opportunity to meet new people, gain new skills, and learn new things in a different environment to what I was accustomed to. I eagerly applied and waited to hear back from the Visitor Experience team, only to be shortly offered an interview afterwards and then a place as a volunteer.

By the time I went for my induction in Trinity Term, the gallery had undergone a significant transformation since closing its doors in March 2023. It boasted a more cohesive layout, designed to take you on both a physical and an intellectual through art history—it was clear that a lot of careful thought and consideration had gone into its reorganisation, with the addition of a new floor dedicated to contemporary art (the Weston Wing, Floor 1) serving to reaffirm this. You cannot begin to imagine my excitement as I stood at the centre of the gallery, surrounded by centuries worth of art, and realised how lucky I was to be there.

My job as a volunteer for the Visitor Experience team was to act as a source of information and help for visitors. We worked on a rota which directed us around the gallery to various spots where we were needed most; I moved to a new location every half an hour, allowing me exposure to the different floors and all the artworks they had to offer.

My first shift began at 10 a.m. and it was only a week or so after the big reopening: armed with a handful of maps and pamphlets, I stood by the doors of the Ondaatje Main Hall and watched the gallery come alive as people from all walks of life flooded in. By the end of my shift, I had met several wonderful people, learnt about two new pieces of art, and had already radioed someone despite being terrified to touch the walkie-talkie.

Most shifts followed a similar pattern, but each offered a new opportunity to get involved with gallery life. My favourite experience was when we worked with the Learning Volunteers. Their job was primarily to deal with schools and families, so when we were assigned to help them during the Summer Family Festival it was a nice change from our usual routine. Not only was it great getting to engage with a younger audience, but it made me hopeful to watch a future generation of young artists walk out with smiles plastered on their faces, proudly waving their artwork around in the air as they went to show their friends and families.

Volunteering at the National Portrait Gallery this summer was one of the best choices I made. It gave me a true insight into the other side of galleries and museums you rarely get to see. Although, the experience would not have been the same had it not been for all the people I met along the way. Each shared their nuggets of experience and wisdom with me, but there is one person who sticks out in my mind.

“L,” as I will call them, was working a shift with me following an earlier shift we had worked together. We properly introduced ourselves and began making small talk in between directing visitors and answering questions about the art. The conversation quickly turned into a discussion about our beliefs having moved from a more sobering topic of death to one of life, energy, and spirituality. The candid nature of our conversation combined with their overwhelming passion and energy had such an effect on me that it made me rethink everything. From that moment forward a series of serendipitous events happened to coincide and I could not help but feel our conversation had something to do with it.

I went into this experience expecting to learn a little about art and do something interesting over the summer, yet I left with a changed perspective on life. Now, I’m not saying that is the standard for all future volunteering experiences, but I would like to emphasise the importance of trying new things and going out of your comfort zone since you never know what experiences and opportunities might come your way. I would recommend volunteering at the National Portrait Gallery to anyone and I can only hope it is a lasting opportunity for the future to come.

I did not know what to expect when I arrived at the Ashmolean to preview their newest exhibition, Colour Revolution: Victorian Art, Fashion & Design. When I think of the Victorian era, I think of darkness, depression, and disease–so you can imagine my shock when I left with a new perception of the Victorians, unlike anything I had thought before.

The curators play on the traditional image of the Victorian era that most of us have today when you enter the first room. The walls are grey; the lights are gloomy. The sparsity forces you to focus on the single piece in the room, Queen Victoria’s iconic black silk mourning dress. You cannot help but feel the weight of the period epitomised in this one item recognisable to most, if not all.

As you turn the corner, you are met with an array of light and colour. Your first introduction is to a series of artworks by John Ruskin, who helped pioneer changes in attitude towards colour during this period along with artists like J. M. W. Turner–whose ‘Venice, from the Porch of Madonna della Salute’ (c. 1835) is placed among Ruskin’s paintings in a vibrant celebration of colour in art.

The following room juxtaposes art, science, and religion to reflect the growing tension between them as colour came to symbolise progression and modernity. Collections of pre-Raphaelite art sit across the room from images of scientific discovery and a bizarre, but relevant, glass case of hummingbirds. The pre-Raphaelite movement attempted to redefine the use of colour as a medium for
glorifying God, yet received a mixed reaction from contemporary audiences due to the conflation of colour in art with Roman Catholicism and idolatry. Whilst breakthroughs in physics and biology served to cause even greater confusion: Sir Isaac Newton’s work on rainbows and the spectrum of colour came to symbolise the covenant between God and man, reaffirming pre-Raphaelite use of colour, but Charles Darwin’s theories on sexual selection de-sacralised colour as seductive and impure.

The next room offers a brief intervention with the history of dyes, providing relief from the artwork to briefly showcase some fashion. However, the central room is emphasised by the curators as the most important. They have reunited multiple pieces of art for the first time since being showcased at the International Exhibition of 1862. This room is impressive in terms of its historical significance but less in its artistic meaning compared to other rooms.

The room on Orientalist art is undeniably beautiful, with the portrait of ‘Scheherazade’ by Sophie Anderson (1870-1880) standing apart from the rest. It is a shame they did not do more with it, but it certainly strikes a chord regardless of its brevity.

The final room combines a series of artistic mediums in a final push to display the changing attitude towards colour in the wake of modernity. Your attention shifts to a series of artworks that signal a shift away from the pre-Raphaelite movements of the earlier nineteenth century towards the Aestheticism of the later years. Here you can enjoy pieces such as Ramon Casas’ ‘Jove Decadent, Despres del ball’ (1899) and Duchess Louise’s Queen Zenobia fancy dress (1897) in a display of decadence and decay reflecting the moral corruption caused by modernity but making for some fantastic works of art.

This exhibition challenged my understanding of the Victorian era by placing it in the context of a ‘colour revolution.’ I was charmed by its theatrical nature and the journey it took me on from start to finish despite my initial uncertainty that I would enjoy what I was going to see. It is a must-see for anyone living in or visiting Oxford over the next few months.