Stories – Brought to Life at Frameless

Almost four years on from its opening, Frameless in Marble Arch continues to be a destination of wonder, offering a fresh and dynamic approach to art. The exhibition comprises four galleries, each interpreting a particular painting movement through 360-degree reproductions, distinct in style and curation.

Temporary residencies take place in the fifth gallery, both thematically and physically separated from the route through the others. Emerging artists from a variety of fields – sound-based or animation-led – make use of this space as a blank canvas for creative forays. Arriving just in time for the summer season, a new collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery occupies the room. This limited-run residency features five figures spanning different eras, geographies and cultural influences, drawn from the museum’s vast collection: Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, William Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse and Malala Yousafzai. Their portraits serve either as the starting point of the related sequence, as with Amy Winehouse, or its conclusion, as in Shakespeare’s case. In between, animation blends with additional imagery, offering a snapshot of their lives and influence today. In the background, their voices ring out (with the exception of the Bard, whose segment features a narrator introducing the playwright’s legacy with playfulness and lightness), highlighting some of the key ideas that shaped their actions and achievements.

Overall, it serves as an effective tribute to its subjects: a commemorative video loop that moves across various themes, eras and parts of the world with colour and vitality. Some of the photos are enhanced with a three-dimensional effect, seemingly reaching out towards the viewer. The magnification of details, such as the focus on Malala’s hands, is compelling; it is a shame that the same technique is not adopted more consistently for the others, too.

As the installation deals with real-life individuals, there is a clear emphasis on commemoration and respect rather than immersion. As a result, it feels less enveloping than the exhibition’s permanent galleries. The shift from the all-encompassing environments and inventive graphic compositions found elsewhere in Frameless is noticeable, and at times, the space feels closer to a video series than an immersive display.

As an established art attraction, Frameless refreshes its appeal with the rotating fifth-room residency, alongside its core galleries. The contrast can feel pronounced; nevertheless, it is a thoughtful and welcome initiative that embraces experimentation.