Stars Turn Out for Nicole Fahri Launch at Pitzhanger

Bill Nighy and Simon Callow among guests at launch of J'Accuse

Bill Nighy peruses the exhibits. Picture: Aston Law

March 20, 2025

It was a star-studded night this Tuesday (18 March) at the Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery as some well-known faces appeared among the hundred or so guests at an exhibition launch.

Leading figures from the literary and art world and stars of stage and screen, as well as those working in the field of justice, had gathered for the launch of J’Accuse…! — an exhibition of sculptures by artist and designer Nicole Farhi.

Among the notable attendees were actors Bill Nighy and Simon Callow, who have both worked with Nicole Fahri’s husband David Hare, with Simon Callow’s association going back to his appearance in Plenty at the National Theatre in 1978 and Bill Nighy has had a longstanding collaboration with the playwright, appearing in multiple stage and screen productions of his work. Also present was author and health expert Dr Miriam Stoppard

The exhibition, which runs until 15 June, highlights the victims of historical and contemporary cases of miscarriages of justice through a series of hand-sculpted busts.

Taking its name from Émile Zola’s 1898 open letter drawing attention to the case of wrongfully imprisoned Captain Alfred Dreyfus, J’Accuse…! presents 25 busts of individuals who were wrongfully convicted across the world, from the infamous case of Timothy Evans in 1950 that led to the abolition of capital punishment in the UK, to the recent exoneration of Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.

Alongside the works, visitors can discover the stories behind each bust through supplementary material available in the exhibition.

Nicole Farhi said at the opening, “J’Accuse...! is an exhibition about the weight of accusation and the fragility of justice. The 25 faces I sculpted are, for me, symbols of injustice. These people are victims of flawed systems, false assumptions, and public hysteria… Looking at those faces, we acknowledge not only their suffering but our responsibility to remember.”

Speaking on the night, Clare Gough, Director of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, said, “The focus of Nicole’s work is the person behind the headlines and the legal arguments. The person who has endured years, in many cases decades, of the loss of their liberty, and of course, in so many cases, the loss of their life as well. Her work helps us to look at and remember these people and what they have been through.”

Simon Callow ponders the displays at the exhibition. Picture: Lucinda MacPherson

Alongside the exhibition, a programme of public talks and events will explore themes of justice, art, and historical memory, including a discussion between Nicole Farhi and criminal defence solicitor and APPEAL’s Co-Director Matt Foot on 1 May. APPEAL is the campaign organisation behind the acquittal of Andrew Malkinson.