Lubaina Himid is a British artist who won the Turner prize in 2017 and was made a CBE in 2018 for her services to art. She was a key part of the British Black Art movement during the 1980s, and still has work in collections in the Tate Modern and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
'The Carrot Piece', 1985
Himid creates activism art that is inspired by black history, particularly the identity of African slaves, whose stories were previously untold. She seeks to create the representation that she found was missing as a young artist, in order to inspire the next generation of Black artists. Himid gives a voice to oppressed people and doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics, especially because her work features in institutions that historically lack diversity. Her aim is to make people take black artists seriously, and to listen to the stories that have been ignored.
Lubaina Himid's artwork ranges from ceramics to huge cut outs that show her background in theatre design. Her work features emotive characters, painted in vivid colours and detailed textures, which bring them to life. She doesn't limit herself to a particular medium, so creates installations, collages, paintings and ceramics to portray her message of diversity to a wider audience.
'Freedom and Change' 1984
I am particularly interested in the installation 'Freedom and Change' which features a painted bed sheet and plywood either side. The main focus is the painting of two black women running and dancing joyfully. Their dresses have been created using a collage of recycled materials and are accompanied by Venus earrings, which hints at a lesbian relationship between the women.
Himid stated in 2013 that: ‘The device of placing two black women in a painting together was an early method I used to counteract this assumption that there was only one story and that the black woman never spoke’. Her aim is to tell the overlooked stories of black women, by portraying the depth of their characters rather than just the surface layer. I am drawn to the intimate details that Himid includes in her presentations, that allow the audience to know the character on a more personal, relatable level.
The piece is based off Picasso's 1922 'Two Women Running on the Beach (The Race)', but Himid has changed the women to be black and has added the plywood elements. The pack of snarling dogs are controlled by the women and juxtapose the playful nature of the main bed sheet painting. There are also the heads of two white men trapped in the sand, who have no power over the women, who kick more sand at them without a second thought. Overall, the women are presented as bold and powerful but not malicious- they seem to be celebrating the downfall of their oppressors.
In my own work, I would like to take inspiration from Himid's vivid use of colour and material and I am keen to explore bold 3D art. I would also like to recreate the intimate feeling of Himid's work and her confident portrayal of difficult topics.
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