Groundbreaking light artist Chris Levine’s celebrated series of Royal 3D and light based portraits were unveiled in their entirety for the very first time from 14th – 23rd March 2008 at StolenSpace Gallery, The Old Truman Brewery, in London.

Commissioned by the Jersey Heritage Trust to mark 800 years of the Islands’ allegiance to the crown, Levine was not previously known for his portrait art and appeared an unlikely candidate for the task. He was commissioned on the strength of his innovative art works in light and modern image making.  Yet the resulting and somewhat daring portraiture has met with widespread acclaim.  One image, ‘Lightness of Being’, was recently hailed by Mario Testino as “The most beautiful image of Her Majesty I have ever seen – but that’s because I have not shot her!” 

Using specially designed state of the art equipment designed by the leading holographer Rob Munday, the original holographic stereogram portrait was constructed from a sequence of still photographs taken from a variety of different angles.  Unusually Levine was granted two sittings with Queen Elizabeth II, so Levine was able to develop the work far beyond the initial 90 minute session.  Few, if any, artists are invited for a second sitting with the Queen, but Levine’s work and the pain-staking process involved, sets the project apart from any other Royal portraiture.

Levine has spent two years developing the series of portraits, which will be shown for the first time as a public exhibition 'Lightness of Being' at StolenSpace gallery.  The original commissioned work, 'Equanimity' was just one published image, a hologram that was very much a light installation.  It was originally shown at Buckingham Palace along side Her Majesty's Leonardo da Vinci collection and her Lucien Freud portrait, but is now housed at the Jersey Museum, St Hellier. Levine comments "The title of the piece I chose with the Queen relates to my experiences in meditation where to achieve a true state of perceptual equanimity is a step towards enlightenment.  In my show I will be showing outtakes in some unusual 3D formats and some light works which led to me being commissioned.  After the hologram was unveiled in Jersey by Prince Charles, I found myself sitting on these extraordinary images of the Queen.  This is an opportunity to share my vision."

Of his Royal subject, Levine has commented, “The sentiment for the Queen right now is so strong.  She is a much loved woman many can relate to as a wise elderly and gentile family member.  I feel a real affection towards her and I don't think I am alone in that!  She has a good heart and I am grateful for the trust and support she gave me in producing the work”

StolenSpace gallery located at The Old Truman Brewery has taken on 13,000 square feet of extra space specifically for this exhibition.  This is an ideal venue for Lightness of Being as the exhibition involves light installations using several hundred lasers and LED lightworks projecting imagery onto the viewer's peripheral vision.  Levine refers to these original works as creating ‘visual echoes’, much like the effects he created for Massive Attack and shown at the Royal Academy last year.  At the vast Truman Brewery, Levine expects his Royal portraits and lightworks to create a totally engaging, possibly unfamiliar sensory experience and encourage people “to question the very mode of seeing - and the lightness of being.”