A member of the influential Blk Art Group in the 1980s, Claudette Johnson’s exhibition ‘I Came To Dance’ at Modern Art Oxford features 30 works on paper by the artist, spanning four decades from the ’80s to the present day. Fisun Güner discusses her work then and now.
The Birmingham-based artist’s exhibition ‘Vanishing Point’ addresses the underrepresentation of black figures in Western history and presents a new group of works on paper alongside two paintings loaned from the National Gallery. Anneka French finds out more.
London-based artist Larry Achiampong has had a busy year, including commissions for Somerset House, the Jerwood Visual Arts 3-Phase programme and the Diaspora Pavilion during the Venice Biennale. He reflects on a “full on” 2017 that has been tainted by the avoidable tragedy of Grenfell.
The winner of this year’s Turner Prize has had a busy and high-profile 2017, but while the attention has been welcome she explains that her major achievement over the last 12 months has been finding time to make “a serious amount of new paintings”.
The artist Helen Cammock’s exhibition ‘Shouting in Whispers’ at Cubitt Gallery, includes an hour-long film of the same title that features historical footage of protest and explores the idea of multiple histories. Fisun Güner talks to her about photography, the importance of words in her work, and discovering the writing of James Baldwin.
A selection of exhibition highlights for the week, including: Marianna Simnett at Matt’s Gallery, London, Stuart Middleton at Tramway, Glasgow, and Joseph Buckley at The Tetley, Leeds.
London-based artist Kimathi Donkor is among 12 artists featured in the Diaspora Pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale, presented by the International Curators Forum and University of the Arts London. He talks about the importance of the British black arts movement in the 1980s, history painting, and the idea of diaspora.
Keith Piper’s exhibition at New Art Exchange, ‘Unearthing the Banker’s Bones’, explores the idea of what our society’s relics might look like from a future perspective. The founder member of the BLK Art Group talks to Wayne Burrows about the themes contained within the work and the continued importance of political and social questions to his practice.
With a solo show at ICA and as part of a group exhibition at Eastside Projects, Sonia Boyce is exploring ideas around play, improvisation and sculpture – including a collaborative project with ukuele-playing skateboarders. Anneka French talks to the artist during the first of two lively, nerve-wracking performances in Birmingham, as skaters fly by and instruments are played.
Saziso Phiri is celebrating one year of her pop-up gallery with a birthday party at Nottingham’s Rough Trade shop, followed by a series of free workshops in tandem with Nottingham Contemporary’s ‘The Place is Here’ show. Wayne Burrows talks to her about her mission to work with artists who operate beyond the usual art world structures.
With solo exhibitions at Spike Island and Modern Art Oxford, and archival work in a new group show at Nottingham Contemporary focusing on Black British art from the 1980s, Lubaina Himid’s paintings and installations are attracting both critical and popular acclaim. Fisun Güner talks to her about politics, migration, and taking on the art establishment.
This week’s selection includes paintings in Oxford, film in London and woodcut prints in Carmarthen.
The British filmmaker has been awarded the £40,000 prize for “substantial body of outstanding work”.
Working in a wide-range of media from film to sculpture to performance, London-based artist Larry Achiampong draws on colonial history, his own Ghanian heritage, and the experience of growing up in Britain to create works that explore ideas around class, race and cultural identity. Wayne Burrows talks to him.
One of six artists shortlisted for this year’s Artes Mundi prize, John Akomfrah is known for his beautifully-shot film installations that tackle big themes such as race, cultural identity, migration and post-colonialism. Fisun Güner talks to him.
International Curators Forum receive Arts Council fund of £300,000 for Black British Diaspora Pavilion, with ten artists set to exhibit work at Venice Biennale 2017.
Ranging from painterly abstraction to figurative interiors and landscapes, Hurvin Anderson’s solo exhibition at New Art Exchange, Nottingham, expands on two long-standing motifs of the barbershop interior and the municipal park landscape and includes his Arts Council Collection commission, Is It OK To Be Black? Wayne Burrows talks to the artist.
Birmingham artist Barbara Walker’s latest collection of drawings explores the often under-recognised role of black servicemen and women in the British Armed Forces.
Settled series; An Essence of G, Uncle, 2011 oil on canvas, Loleithaart One Sunday afternoon, as I visited my Uncle and family, we were all chilled out after our lovely meal of chicken, rice and peas, mac and cheese, roast […]
The artist and professor in Fine Arts, Sonia Boyce, is leading a three-year AHRC-funded research project into British Black artists and modernism in the 20th century. She talks to Laura Robertson about why the work needs to be done and what she hopes to achieve.
