Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends celebrates Queer history through the lens of fantasy, fashion and identity.

Opening at the National Portrait Gallery, the landmark exhibition brings together 250 specially commissioned portraits capturing more than five decades of Queer activism, community and love. Featuring cultural icons including Ian McKellen, Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga and Ncuti Gatwa alongside pioneering activists, healthcare professionals and underground collectives, Walker’s work explores the people and movements that have shaped Queer life in Britain and beyond. Blending theatrical imagery with historical references, the exhibition reclaims the word “fairy” as an expression of pride, resistance and belonging. Curated by Susanna Brown and designed by longtime collaborator Shona Heath, Fairyland marks a significant evolution in Walker’s practice, celebrating the transformative power of self-expression, solidarity and visibility.

On view at the National Portrait Gallery from 9 October 2026 to 7 February 2027.

National Portrait Gallery