Jony Ive Now Featured in London's National Portrait Gallery

London's National Portrait Gallery has announced its latest commission: a portrait of Apple's departing design chief Jony Ive at Apple Park, shot by internationally renowned photographer Andreas Gursky.

portrait of notjonyive
Ive is pictured in a nearly all-white outfit on an outside ledge of the main Apple Park building, which he played a major role in designing.

National Portrait Gallery:

Jony Ive is one of the leading figures in contemporary design. Described by founder Steve Jobs as 'his creative partner' Ive joined Apple in 1992. From his early cutting-edge designs for the iMac and iPhone to realising the vision of Apple Park in 2017, his role has been central to Apple's progressive ambition and success. As one of a few portraits by Andreas Gursky and the only portrait commission he has undertaken for a public museum, this newest addition to our collection reflects a long-standing professional admiration between two leading creative figures.

Ive:

I have been obsessed with Andreas' work for a couple of decades and vividly remember the thrill of our first meeting seven years ago. His very particular and objective presentation of what he sees, whether voluminous landscapes or the rhythm and repetition of supermarket shelving is both beautiful and provocative. Mindful that he rarely makes portraits, this is a conspicuous and particular honour for me.

Gursky:

It was fascinating to take photographs in the new Apple HQ, a place that plays such a historically crucial role in our present and future. And above all, it was inspiring to work with Jonathan Ive within this setting. It was he who found the form for the technological revolution that was initiated by Apple and his aesthetic has left a mark on an entire generation. I admire his immense visionary power and have tried to express this energy in my portrait.

Ive's portrait is on display in room 32 of the gallery. Entry to the gallery is free, but some special exhibitions cost money.

Ive has led Apple's design team since 1996. In his current role as Chief Design Officer, he has been responsible for all design at Apple, including the look and feel of Apple products like the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, packaging, and major architectural projects such as Apple Park and Apple Stores.

In June, Apple announced that Ive will depart the company as an employee later this year to form an independent design company named LoveFrom. Apple said it will remain one of Ive's primary clients.

"Jony is a singular figure in the design world and his role in Apple's revival cannot be overstated, from 1998's groundbreaking iMac to the iPhone and the unprecedented ambition of Apple Park, where recently he has been putting so much of his energy and care," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...

Top Rated Comments

crawfish963 Avatar
79 months ago
He looks like a painter taking a break.

*Sigh* "I don't want to be a painter anymore."
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fmcshan Avatar
79 months ago
Such a great designer.... We'll miss you Jony ?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rictus007 Avatar
79 months ago
I thought he was wearing crocs and felt so disappointed.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
79 months ago
Looks like he is watching to see if someone is parking too close to his Aston Martin.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
79 months ago

Yes, rather indulgent. Money well-spent. ?
I’m sure Apple appreciates your concern, but not to worry! Apple covered the entire cost of Apple Park with just one month’s profit back in 2017.

It should last at least 40 or 50 years, so a few indulgences are well worth it, don’t you think?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BSben Avatar
79 months ago
I miss Jony already, his sexy voice in a keynote was always the icing on the cake. But his design made Apple what it is today, I sincerely hope he left a strong team behind.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)