A portrait of the mayor of Brighton and Hove has been unveiled at Brighton Town Hall where it is expected to hang alongside paintings of some of his predecessors.
Councillor Mohammed Asaduzzaman was painted by Brighton University student Lucy Dixon, reviving an old tradition.
She won the commission after a competition and completed it as part of a collaboration between Brighton and Hove City Council and the university where she is studying for a masters degree in illustration.
She said: “I wanted to create a colourful portrait with little details that could be spotted by people who know the mayor.
“I wanted it to be a modern portrait as well, with him emerging out of the picture to create an illusion that everything is behind him.
“The reaction when the portrait was unveiled was amazing. When I was painting it I was really worried as I wanted to capture him perfectly as everyone knows the mayor.
“When everyone started clapping it was so nice and I felt very happy.”
The portrait was unveiled jointly by the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Bella Sankey, and Gavin Ambrose, senior lecturer from the School of Arts and Media at the university.
Councillor Sankey said: “This has been an historic day as we unveiled a new portrait after many years.
“It is important that our civic artwork reflects the increasingly diverse and inclusive city that Brighton and Hove is so, to have our first South Asian Muslim mayor commemorated with such a fantastic portrait that is referring back to our heritage and looking forward to our future and incorporating so many aspects of our city and his contribution too, is fantastic.
“I want to pay tribute to Lucy for her fantastic artwork and to our mayor for his public service. I hope that this new initiative will continue for many years to come.”
The mayor, Councillor Mohammed Asaduzzaman, who was accompanied by his consort, Most Jasmin Ara, said: “The artist, Lucy Dixon, is not yet a household name although I suspect she soon will be.
“Lucy brought a fresh perspective and incredible skill to this portrait. Her ability to capture the connection between past and present is truly inspiring.
“This project is about more than just a portrait. It is a celebration of collaboration and a powerful reminder what can happen when civic life and creative education come together. It highlights the deep connection between public service and artistic expression.”
The portrait is due to be framed and placed just outside the council chamber at Brighton Town Hall, along with other portraits of past mayors.
Just a photo opportunity and now a painting, total waste of time. I went to the lighting of the beacon on VE Day, he just stood there.
At least he didn’t leave to get on a helicopter to go have a TV interview, that would have been massively insulting.
What did you want him to do? An interpretive dance? Start a Vera Lynn medley?
He would have done what the organisers asked him to do when they invited him to attend.
When you ask the Mayor to attend an event you have to fill in form about the event including what you want the Mayor to do when they go. If the organisers of the event you attended didn’t ask him to do anything other than be there that’s down to them. Sometimes just being there is all that is required.
He could have given a brief speech. Instead, he’s just a photo opportunity and the event thinks it’s special to have the Mayor there – it’s not.
You mean Vera did more than one song!
AI generated? Looks very cartoony.
What a wonderful portrait. Well done!
Pointless to commission portrait of a mayor, no one remembers them
What a marvellous piece of art this is!! I love the colours and all the symbols. Rather than writing negatively as some comments have done, we should embrace and applaud new, local artists.
More chance of Mohammed Asaduzzaman being remembered than a keyboard warrior. He stood for office and won his seat. He’s served the public. And he’s been a credit to the council and the city. It’s a smashing portrait too imho.
I’ve seen the Mayor at a few events, and he’s always been humble, reaching out to people of all faiths and none, and spoken with a generosity of spirit that goes with his role as first citizen.
As for no one remembering the ex-Mayors, that’s not always the case. About 18 months ago I went to the cinema to see a film called The Great Escaper. Michael Caine played the ex-Mayor Bernie Jordan and Glenda Jackson played Rene, who served as Mayoress by his side. Not quite Hollywood but still a box office hit. And not bad for a local councillor from this neck of the woods!
Portraits of mayors can make them memorable. Look up Augustus John’s hilarious official portrait of the Lord Mayor of Liverpool with a wonderfully obsequious, sword-bearing flunkey at his side. I think it has now been consigned to a New Zealand collection rather than Liverpool’s.
…and the cost to the ratepayers of this unnecessary ego massaging was?