Why Steve McQueen is Displaying Class Portraits across 613 London Billboards

"The seeds of this project started 21 years ago with the birth of my first child, a milestone that put my own journey in perspective,” says director Steve McQueen.

He’s just launched an ambitious new project that has turned an annual tradition – the class portrait – into art on an epic scale. With Year 3, hundreds of primary school photos have been blown up and displayed on billboards across all of London’s 33 boroughs.

In England and Wales, Year 3 pupils are aged 7 and 8 years old – in child development it marks a major point in their developing sense of identity, as they become more aware of the world beyond themselves and their family. The photography project explores this crucial time and the excitement and anticipation by playing with the traditional class portrait format, which sees children  sit or stand in rows with their teachers.

The project is a collaboration between McQueen, Tate Britain, Artangel and creative education agency A New Direction. 

The portraits will be displayed on 613 billboards across London from 4-18 November 2019 – and from November 12 there’s also a vast, free exhibition at Tate Britain which features thousands of photos. 

James Lingwood, Co-Director of Artangel, curated the outdoor exhibition together with Artangel MD Cressida Day. "Year 3 is a resounding expression of Artangel's belief that art can be anywhere. It's a celebration of children and a question to the rest of us - what kind of future are we making for them?" says James.

Traditionally, annual class portraits are published in local newspapers and Steve McQueen hopes this huge project will foster a similar sense of community and belonging. “My hope is that through the billboards millions of Londoners can reflect on the past, the present and the future not only of themselves but of their city. I am very excited that this portrait of London will be seen by so many people as part of their daily life in this great city that I love.”