Richard Ansett returns with a remarkable single portrait illuminating the chapel and celebrating naturalist and environmental campaigner Chris Packham. Elevating him to the status of living saint in this homage to St Francis, patron saint of animals, Packham kneels in prayer surrounded by some of the most endangered species in the UK.
DATE SHOWN
Richard Ansett returns with a powerful work from his ongoing Endangered Species series, presenting a striking portrait that illuminates Fitzrovia Chapel while celebrating naturalist and environmental campaigner Chris Packham. The wider series explores the idea of “endangerment” through contemporary portraiture, focusing on individuals whose identities, beliefs or causes exist in a state of vulnerability. Blending classical painterly aesthetics with modern social and political themes, Ansett’s portraits reframe the language of conservation to reflect on human fragility, visibility and survival.
In this work, Packham is elevated to the status of a living saint in a contemporary homage to St Francis, the patron saint of animals. Depicted kneeling in prayer and surrounded by some of the most endangered species in the UK, the portrait brings together spiritual iconography and urgent environmental concern. Set within the richly symbolic setting of Fitzrovia Chapel, the piece invites reflection on stewardship, compassion and the delicate relationship between people and the natural world.
OVERVIEW
Fitzrovia Chapel presented Chris Packham – Endangered Species, a striking photographic installation by Richard Ansett, illuminating the chapel’s stunning Byzantine interior from the altar. The exhibition ran until 21 May and offered visitors a unique opportunity to experience a single lightbox as both artwork and beacon, drawing attention to some of the most endangered species in the UK and highlighting the vital work of naturalists and environmental campaigners.
Richard Ansett’s portrait elevated Chris Packham to a living saint in homage to St Francis, patron saint of animals. The work, which Ansett describes as a “neurodiverse portrait,” explored the challenges of empathising with his subject and communicating the complexities of mental health and environmental advocacy through photography. Ansett’s work has previously been praised by Boris Mikhailov as an “act of genius,” by Jen Hardie, Director of British Modern Art at Sotheby’s, as “totally transfixing,” and by Sir Grayson Perry as “like art.”
The exhibition was complemented by a private view event, which featured a series of passionate talks from key speakers representing environmental and wildlife organisations, including @kaulofthewilduk, @wildcardcampaign, @christianclimateaction, @citizenzoo, @arocha_uk, and Chris Packham himself, speaking as patron of @nationalautisticsociety. Visitors were able to experience the interplay of light, space, and subject as the chapel’s rich architectural detail framed the illuminated photograph, offering moments of reflection on the urgent need to protect our natural world.
Photography from the installation and private view was captured by @ruthboardphoto, with kind permission from @radiotimes and @radiotimespictureeditor. The exhibition provided a rare opportunity to engage with contemporary photography as a form of activism, where art, environmental awareness, and contemplation intersected within one of London’s most beautiful historic spaces.
Fitzrovia Chapel continues to host exhibitions that combine art, heritage, and cultural significance, providing visitors with immersive and reflective experiences in the heart of central London.
ABOUT
Richard Ansett is a fine art, social documentary portrait photographer, creative director, writer and speaker with a distinctive and prolific personal and commercial practice spanning over 30 years. Richard is a passionate, vocal advocate of the medium as an art form, talking and writing candidly about the realities of a life in photography. Richard’s images are embedded with a deeply personal signature and an examination of the medium itself. He is increasingly focused on enabling a new generation and especially those from marginalised communities to develop a relationship to photography in communicating their stories.
His portrait of an autistic boy in a flower garden in the Donbas region of Ukraine from the series Boys in a City Park won the overall prize for photography at the Arte Laguna Prize 2013 and his project Mother and Child, Donbas, Ukraine 2011 exhibited at UNICEF “What is Your Name?”, Arsenal, Kiev 2016 as a metaphor for the trauma of enforced internal dislocation and migration due to conflict and exhibited in the British Parliament as part of the exhibition 1001 Critical Days.
His portrait of Danel, 9 from series Children of Grenfell was selected as the People’s Choice at the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2018 and his images have been selected 13 times for the National Portrait Gallery, London portrait prize exhibition.
‘BIRTH – A Portrait of Grayson Perry’ was awarded first prize at the Sony World Photography Awards 2019 and the previously unpublished archive of his 10 year relationship with the artist ‘MUSE- A Portrait of Grayson Perry’ was published by ACC Art Books in 2023 to critical acclaim.
Many of his portraits have been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery . The portrait of the film director David Lynch was acquired by the Smithsonian and his portrait of film director David Cronenberg and Professor Margaret MacMillan acquired by the National Canadian Library and Archives. The portrait of Dame Hilary Mantel was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 2023 on the event of her death and he was the only man whose work and testimony were included in ‘Reframing Narratives Women in Portraiture’.
