Part documentary, part artwork-about-art, The Whisper of Paint follows Ravelle Pillay as she creates the portrait series Proof of Life for London’s National Portrait Gallery. Exploring her family’s recorded and oral histories, the film responds to the legacies of colonialism and migration, and the ways in which they haunt our present.
Alisdair Kitchen is a filmmaker based in London. His work has been supported by Arts Council England, nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award, and was the recipient of a Genesis Foundation Kickstart Fund grant. Prior to becoming a full-time filmmaker, Alisdair enjoyed a career in classical music as a pianist and conductor, and directed operas, plays and musicals for the stage.
The Whisper of Paint was supported by Rye Arts Festival and John and Sarah Hodson.
Ravelle Pillay, Proof of Life was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery for Artists First: Contemporary Perspectives on Portraiture, supported by Chanel Culture Fund.
