National Portrait Gallery hosts war artist’s tribute to British Soldiers killed in Iraq.

Queen and Country, the response of Official War Artist for Iraq, Steve McQueen, goes on display at the National Portrait Gallery on 20th March, in the week that marks the seventh anniversary of the Iraq War.

His creation, Queen and Country commemorates British servicemen and women killed in Iraq.  It consists of an oak cabinet containing facsimile postage sheets, each featuring the face of a fallen member of the Armed Forces, chosen by their family. As a work in progress, new additions to the work will be seen at the National Portrait Gallery for the first time, bringing the number now included to 160.

The Art Fund has been campaigning on behalf of Steve McQueen and the families for the images to be issued as official postage stamps by Royal Mail, which they have so far refused to do.

The display will be open to the public between 20th March and 18th July 2010.

A Queen and Country book has been produced by the British Council.