Personal trailer Patrick Hutchinson has said he is still “extremely humbled and grateful” for the opportunities coming his way nearly two years after making global headlines when he was photographed during a Black Lives Matter protest in London.
In June 2020, Hutchinson was photographed during the event helping an injured counter-protester to safety and his heroism made global headlines, and has also seen him named the winner of the humanitarian award by men’s magazine GQ.
The fitness star, who has also since published a book titled Everyone Versus Racism: A Letter To Change The World, features in BBC Arts series Extraordinary Portraits – in which everyday heroes are immortalised in art.
In the series, airing on BBC One and hosted by musician Tinie (formerly known as Tinie Tempah), Hutchinson is introduced to artist Dale Grimshaw, famed for his street murals with a fine art approach – and who uses spray cans and oil paint to create his portrait.
“I think having the portrait done by, you know, a recognised artist such as Dale – it was a no brainer for me to be honest,” Hutchinson told the PA news agency about signing up for the series.
“Things like art leave a legacy behind so that will be somewhere wherever it is, it’s projecting my image, it’s me, and whether I’m here or not, people will hopefully remember me for, you know, hopefully positive reasons in this case.”
The first episode in the series featured twins Georgia and Melissa Laurie, who were involved in a near-fatal crocodile attack in Mexico last year, paired with artist Roxana Halls – and an upcoming episode will see hyperrealist artist Kelvin Okafor, who specialises in pencil portraits, drawing Catrin Pugh, a bus crash survivor who was left with burns across 95% of her body.
Hutchinson said: “To say my life has changed is an absolute understatement. It’s literally been flipped on its head and I’m still on my head. So every day, there’s something else that pops up, opportunities that come my way and I’m obviously extremely humbled and grateful for everything that’s happening.”
Artist Grimshaw has enjoyed a successful gallery career, and his street murals include one of singer Bob Marley in south London.
He said he had wanted to impress Hutchinson’s mother, and that in terms of the visual side, he “felt really quite good and quite excited” but added: “Ironically, when I did start painting that first two days, I had a bit of a meltdown, because I was trying to overcomplicate things, which I said I wouldn’t do when I started the project to myself.
“I was like, don’t overcomplicate life Dale, don’t overthink it and I did that. But once I went back, sometimes you just have to check yourself and come back. But once I did that I was fine and then it took me back to some of the early kind of ideas I had when I saw Patrick’s face.”
Hutchinson, who is also the co-founder of the organisation United To Change And Inspire (UTCAI), said of his story still inspiring people: “I must admit, I am surprised. This June, it will be two years, (and) the story is as strong as ever.”
He revealed he is still going into schools, colleges and corporates to give talks, adding: “And people are still as interested in it I think as they were when it first happened.
“And I guess that shows us where we still are on the subject of racism and equality and the George Floyd moment and the Black Lives Matter movement. As long as racism is still here, and it very much is still around, I guess the story won’t be going anywhere.
“Because it’s a way to talk about what the place where we should try to get as a collective of human beings, we need to get to a space where the colour of people’s skin doesn’t matter… so if there’s racism, then my story will be told. And I’ll be glad, I guess, when they’re not talking about it, because maybe racism doesn’t exist anymore.
“But it would be nice if they’re talking about it and saying that was the moment when everything changed. You know, that was the moment, George Floyd’s death, the image of Patrick Hutchinson, those are the moments you know, in 2020, that changed everything.
“And I do have a feeling that, you know, 20 years from now, when they look back in history, people will be talking about it.”
Extraordinary Portraits airs on BBC One on Sundays at 6:30pm.