Perspectives
Your place to explore new perspectives on British art from 1900 to now. Through interviews, films, image galleries and essays, we uncover the creative lives of the people behind the art on our walls.
Black Artists in British Art: A Resource
[ Introduction )
We’re shining a spotlight on historic and contemporary Black artists in British art.
As you may know we’re all about Modern British art here, and following our anti-racism statement earlier this year, we’ve been exploring, in more depth, the role of Black artists in the history of Modern British art.
We’ve been sharing so many great resources – articles, books, videos and podcasts, that we wanted to gather them all together in one place for you to enjoy. From pioneering Caribbean artists Ronald Moody, Aubrey Williams and Donald Locke, to long-overlooked artists such as Frank Bowling now getting their dues, and trailblazing contemporary artists including Sonia Boyce and Lubaina Himid – there’s plenty here to read, watch, and listen to…
Read
Articles
Ten Black British Artists to Celebrate, Art UK
‘I’m almost enjoying myself!’ – Frank Bowling’s six-decade journey to success, Guardian
Celebrating the Windrush generation’s impact on British art, Art UK
The Hidden History of Black British Artists, Art Fund
Crossing boundaries: the life and works of Aubrey Williams, Art UK
Get Up, Stand Up Now: Black British art’s response to the Windrush scandal, Guardian
The Artists Who Pioneered Black British Art, Sleek Mag
Take five: sculptures by black British artists, Art UK
Frank Bowling, an overlooked star of British art’s golden generation, New Statesman
Repositioning the voices of enslaved people through art, Art UK
Black muses: who are these neglected sitters?, Art UK
We are here: A showcase of black female photography, Guardian
Pride, power, pedals and protest: black British photographers pick a best shot, Guardian
Celebrating black British artists in public collections, Art UK
Books
Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power by Godfrey and Whitley
Black artists in British Art: A History since the 1950s by Eddie Chambers
Black Art: A Cultural History by Richard J Powell
The Whole Picture: The colonial story of the art in our museums by Alice Procter
Stick to the Skin: African American and Black British Art, 1965-2015 by Celeste-Marie Bernier
Lubaina Himid: Workshop Manual by Lubaina Himid, Helen Legg, Courtney Martin, Emma Ridgway and more.
Frank Bowling, Mel Gooding, Royal Academy of Arts
Watch
Other
Black British Artists on BBC iPlayer
Whoever heard of a Black Artist? Britain’s Hidden Art History, Forward Thinking, BBC Four
Listen
Art UK’s Art Matters podcast with Zoé Whitley, Director of Chisenhale Gallery and one of the co-curators of Tate’s 2017 exhibition Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power.
The Influence of the British Black Art movement, Forward Thinking, BBC Radio 3
Lubiana Himid on Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4
Black art and activism, Royal Academy Podcast
Black women artists and #blackgirlmagic, Art UK’s Art Matters podcast