So this weekend I ventured to a well hidden exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery which celebrates the centenary of Vivien Leigh.
Yes I know, it appears that the last few weeks of culture have been based mainly around Leigh, but 2013 marked a hundred years since the actresses birth, plus this year is the 75th anniversary of the film Gone With The Wind so naturally she's going to be the centre of attention at quite a few museums and quite rightly so.
The exhibition although small and off the beaten track, is packed with nuggets of interesting information about the actress and her life on the silver screen. You see her transformation from her breakthrough on stage in The Mask of Virtue to her career high as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind to her final film Ship of Fools before her early death from tuberculosis.
I was fortunate enough to have the room to myself, well for five minutes before a school trip arrived, so that I could admire the collection of photos taken by some of the most admired photographers of the twentieth century. Some of the magazines and photos on display have rarely been exhibited so it is a privilege to have the opportunity to see them. Aside from the usual and film stills there were publicity shots of Vivien wearing Lawrence Olivier's RAF badge and stills of her early roles on stage and in film that I have never seen before. Other than acting, Vivien most definitely had the power to command the lens.
It may only be a small exhibition, but it is definitely worth stopping by if you are interested in learning more about Vivien Leigh. Why not tie it in with a visit to the David Bailey exhibition!
The exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery runs till the 20th July. Visit www.npg.org.uk for more information.
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