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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent

Artist caught up in row over Foreign Office queen portrait speaks out

Larry Achiampong in front of his work Pan African Flag for the Relic Travellers’ Alliance (Motion), a large green, yellow and red design featuring 54 black stars
Larry Achiampong in front of his work Pan African Flag for the Relic Travellers’ Alliance (Motion), which hangs in the Foreign Office. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

The artist Larry Achiampong was in the middle of a karate class this weekend when he took a break, looked at his phone and realised he was embroiled in a brewing culture war.

A series of news outlets reported that a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II taken by David Bailey had been “ditched” for work by Achiampong, Lubaina Himid and Yinka Shonibare, which took its place in the Foreign Office.

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