About

Lives in Motion: Stories of Migration from the 11th Century to the Present Day features stories of migration from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery and Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, ranging from the 11th century through to the present day.
It is a vibrant show with objects in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, print, and digital art. The exhibition will open at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery from 20 March 2026 until 28 June 2026 and will include many works previously unseen in Wales.

Lives in Motion explores the experiences and contributions of people who have moved to Britain from across the world to make the UK their permanent or temporary home. The exhibition explores the varied reasons that people move and how leaving home and finding a new one in a different place presents opportunities and sometimes challenges effecting a person's sense of personal identity and belonging.

Spanning nearly a thousand years of history, from William the Conqueror to Malala Yousafzai, the exhibition is arranged chronologically with sections exploring royalty, fame and contemporary commissions by the National Portrait Gallery. While the stories are as individual as the people in the portraits, they also highlight the shared lived experiences across time.

Exhibition highlights include a recently acquired bust of Mary Seacole, displayed for the first time as part of this exhibition since its acquisition by the National Portrait Gallery in 2023, as well as a portrait of local opera singer Adelina Patti and émigré artist Josef Herman from the Glynn Vivian Permanent Collection.

This exhibition has been curated by Octavia Tam, an Art Fund Vivmar curatorial trainee, hosted by the National Portrait Gallery and Nottingham City Museums and Galleries. The Art Fund Vivmar Curatorial Traineeships are generously supported by The Vivmar Foundation.

The exhibition has been organised by the National Portrait Gallery as part of the National Touring Programme.

Elliott King, Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights and Equalities, commented, "We're delighted that Swansea Council's Glynn Vivian Art Gallery is continuing its ongoing relationship with National Portrait Gallery, and is now bringing this outstanding collection of works to Swansea for the very first time. This exhibition invites visitors to pause, engage, and celebrate the individuals whose lives and achievements have helped shape a rich and inclusive society."