Empowering Her

Empowering Her is an unapologetic body of work that confronts who is seen, who is celebrated, and who has historically been left in the shadows. The opening portrait of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian campaigner and former political prisoner, sets a clear tone rooted in visibility, dignity, and presence.

Through a series of large-scale, finely rendered portraits, Empowering Her reclaims portraiture as a space in which women’s stories are seen and their achievements honoured with the respect they merit. The work explores recognition, representation, and power, questioning whose stories are recorded, whose leadership is acknowledged, and whose experiences are overlooked.

Speaking about the project, Caroline said: “For centuries, portraiture has reinforced who matters. Empowering Her reclaims that space as one of recognition, not perfection, but presence, and these portraits are about honesty, dignity, and being fully seen.”

The women portrayed in Empowering Her span public life, culture, science, sport, and activism and include:

• Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, campaigner and former political prisoner
• Lieutenant General Dame Sharon Nesmith, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, British Army
• Sally Phillips, actor and comedian
• Emma Barnett, broadcaster and journalist
• Lady Phyll, LGBTQ+ activist and co-founder of UK Black Pride
• Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, space scientist and science communicator
• Daryl Fielding, advertising leader behind Dove’s Real Beauty campaign and founding member of Mad Women
• Georgia Harrison, campaigner for women’s safety and digital accountability
• Zoe Stratford, England Rugby World Cup-winning captain and advocate for women in sport

Empowering Her is in support of UN Women UK, with proceeds contributing to programmes supporting all women and girls in the UK and around the world.

Empowering Her is an evolving body of work.

Alongside the exhibition, a series of portrait-led workshops will take place at the gallery, with further workshops planned in community and corporate settings, and ambitions for future exhibitions and touring.