The Ex-politician Tristram Hunt is now the director of Victoria and Albert Museum. Having moved from a world of telling people what they want to hear, he has now moved into a world of showing people what they want to see, and judging from the new extension of the Victoria and Albert Museum, (where this shoot mainly took place,) he’s already got something great to show us.
The V&A Museum has always been one of the outstanding British museums. It is one of the ‘must see’ museums, the largest museum of decorative arts and design in the world and it’s just gotten bigger. Not only is there the extension you see at the main museum in Knightsbridge, but it also the Childhood museum in Bethnal Green and will soon open a new section.
Tristram turned up in a suit and tie, still looking more like a politician than a director of artworks. He hasn’t yet swapped the suit jacket with a tank top jumper, the blue/grey tie with a knitted yellow one and the suit trousers with some brown cords. When I asked Tristram if he could take jacket and tie off he replied “It’s the only thing that gives me some authority”.
No doubt that Tristram is facing a mammoth task in the museum world, but what an honour. And from what I can gather, he’s got the likability factor, he’s got the brains and with connections in the political world too so I'm sure he's going to turn the V&A into a roaring success.
Shot for The Observer New Review
