Unmissable: The poignant portraits of missing people

These portraits were created by artists including Samira Addo, Charming Baker, Ricardo Cinalli, Nina Mae Fowler, Ru Knox, Thomas Lumley, Chris Moon, David Partner, Amy Shuckburgh, and Nicholas Todhunter; and are going on show as part of The Other Art Fair to mark the 25th anniversary of the Missing People charity.

The show is curated by Ben Moore, whose brother Tom has been missing since 2003 and whose portrait features in Unmissable. The works will be on sale at the fair and online via the Paddle8 auction site from 14-28 March, with all proceeds of artwork sales going to the Missing People charity. The portraits are also being displayed across billboard space in the London Underground in collaboration with public art enterprises Art Below.

Among the pieces on show is a portrait by Ian Bruce of Charles Horvath-Allan, who vanished on a gap year trip to Canada 30 years ago. Horvath-Allan’s portrait is displayed within a clock “to emphasise the passing of time felt when someone is missing,” according to exhibition organisers.

Charming Baker’s portrait depicts Fatima Mohamed-Ali, who has been missing from her Newhaven home since 2016. “Her family said it was out of character for the then 52-year old grandmother and mother of three to go missing,” said the show organisers. “She was last seen by her husband, Mohamed, who she made breakfast for on the morning of February 12, 2016. She then left the house and has not been seen by her family since.”

Among the other images is a face who’ll be very familiar to a lot of people: former Manic Street Preachers guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards. British artist Will Teather is behind his image of Edwards, was last confirmed as being seen on 31 January 1995, when he checked out of the Embassy Hotel, Bayswater, London. On 17 February his car was discovered in the car park of the Old Severn Bridge; though many have claimed to have spotted him since.

Unmissable is at The Other Art Fair from 14-17 March 2019 Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London E1 6QR.