Facing History: Contemporary Portraiture, V&A

V&A exhibition
Delve into the fantastic V&A collection this summer and discover the delights of contemporary portraiture. 80 prints and photographs from 20 different leading artists, including Julian Opie, Grayson Perry and Gavin Turk, reveal the influence of moving portrait artists like Frida Kahlo and Rembrandt, and how the genre has changed over the last 20 years. The idea behind the show was first sparked by the V&A's acquisition of Bettina von Zwehl's 34 portrait miniature photographs of a V&A Visitor Services Assistant following her artist-in-residency at the South Kensington museum. 
Highlights
We are particularly looking forward to seeing Turner Prize nominee Grayson Perry's eerie prints Mr and Mrs Perry (2005), inspired by amateur 19th century artists in this V&A portraits show. Across the gallery, the iconic Gavin Turk Portrait of Something that I'll Never Really See sits beside Thomas Ruff's Blue Eyes series, which continues the German artist's bid to unravel the objectivity of photography by giving his sitters vivid blue irises.
If you saw Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's serene portraits of black figures at the Serpentine Gallery this summer, you'll be delighted to find her fictional characters at the V&A. Another highlight to look out for is Brian D. Cohen Man with Eyes Closed (Walter White), which is inspired by the smash US television series Breaking Bad and the crystal meth manufacturer played by Bryan Cranston. The silhouette of Cranston with his eyes closed is a curious reincarnation of 17th and 18th century Dutch and Flemish portraiture. 
If you're looking for great free art exhibitions in London, the V&A's display of innovative contemporary portraits is a lovely place to start.