Elizabeth Peyton brings fame and celebrity to the Whitechapel Gallery

Ludwig Caressing Bust of Marie Antoinette, 1993. The drawing was part of a small exhibition of works in New York that year that helped Peyton to break through as an artist Photograph: Collection Karen and Andy Stillpass/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Michelle and Sasha Obama Listening to Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention August 2008. 'I added my feelings about her and how amazing it was,' says Peyton Photograph: Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Flower Ben, 2002, incorporates still life along with Peyton's usual portraiture. She says: 'For me, painting is about the feelings, the brushstrokes – more than about describing anybody' Photograph: Moma, New York/gift of David Teiger/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

John Simon Beverley Ritchie, (Sid), 1995, taken from a photograph of Sid Vicious. Peyton says that to paint well, she needs to be enraptured by her subjects Photograph: Museum of Fine Art, Boston/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Sidney, 1995 Photograph: Private Collection/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Prince Eagle (Fontainebleau), 1999, is one of many portraits by Peyton of the artist Tony Just, whom she met that year Photograph: Private Collection/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Zoe's Kurt, 1995. Peyton painted other portraits of Kurt Cobain, basing them on photographs in an issue of Rolling Stone after the singer's death Photograph: Zoe Stillpass/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Dallas, TX (January 1978). Despite the earlier date in the title, Peyton painted this portrait of John Lydon of the Sex Pistols in 1994 Photograph: Private Collection/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Princess Elizabeth's First Radio Address, 1993. One of Peyton's charcoal and ink series Photograph: Collection Karen and Andy Stillpass/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

September (Ben), 2001, is based on Peyton's artist and DJ friend Ben Brunnemer Photograph: Private Collection/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Pati, 2007, an abstract portrait of Peyton's friend Pati Hertling, incorporating rare element of still life Photograph: Private Collection/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Jarvis and Liam Smoking, 1997. 'There's something in music that fascinates me,' Peyton says of her rock star portraits. 'Whatever was in Liam Gallagher's voice, I wanted to capture' Photograph: Collection Tiqui Atencio/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown

Green Nick, 2003: Peyton's portrait of the young artist Nick Relph Photograph: Collection for Isa Genzken/Sadie Coles/Gavin Brown