Description
Book SynopsisBlack artists have been making major contributions to the British art scene for decades, since at least the mid-twentieth century. Sometimes these artists were regarded and embraced as practitioners of note. At other times they faced challenges of visibility - and in response they collaborated and made their own exhibitions and gallery spaces. In this book, Eddie Chambers tells the story of these artists from the 1950s onwards, including recent developments and successes. Black Artists in British Art makes a major contribution to British art history. Beginning with discussions of the pioneering generation of artists such as Ronald Moody, Aubrey Williams and Frank Bowling, Chambers candidly discusses the problems and progression of several generations, including contemporary artists such as Steve McQueen, Chris Ofili and Yinka Shonibare. Meticulously researched, this important book tells the fascinating story of practitioners who have frequently been overlooked in the dominant history of twentieth-century British art.
Trade Review'Eddie Chambers' Black Artists in British Art is a breathtaking tour de force. Brilliantly conceptualised, beautifully written and inspirationally theorised, this volume's seminal contribution to art history is unparalleled. Spectacularly well researched and stunningly original, it is an exemplary scholarly feat, essential for researchers, students and general audiences alike, and one which offers yet further confi rmation of Chambers' reputation as the leading international scholar of his generation.' Celeste-Marie Bernier PROFESSOR OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM; 'If you told most art-world types you were interested in black British art, they might point you to Yinka Shonibare, Chris Ofili, Steve McQueen, and-maybe-a couple of others. That's it. But if you really want to know about the history and context of this vital part of contemporary practice in the UK, Black Artists in British Art: A History Since the 1950s (I. B. Tauris) by Eddie Chambers is the book you need. Chambers writes an authoritative history of black British art, but also explores its fraught relationship with white, establishment institutions... a refreshing mix of the art historian's meticulous archival work, the thrilling, blow-by-blow account of the eyewitness, and the impassioned, candid argumentation of the seasoned critic.' - Chika Okeke-Agulu, ArtForum
Table of ContentsBlack Artists in British Art: A History from 1950 to the Present Chapters Foreword: Celebrating Nelson’s Ships Introduction: Some Problems with History and its Treatment of Black-British Artists. Chapter One: The Pioneering Generation of Caribbean Artists Chapter Two: Early Contributions by South Asian Artists Chapter Three: The Significance of the 1970s Chapter Four: Uzo Egonu and Contemporary African Art in Britain Chapter Five: The Earliest Black-British Practitioners Chapter Six: South Asian Stories Chapter Seven: The ‘Black Art’ Generation and the 1980s Chapter Eight: The Rise and Fall of The Black-Art Gallery Chapter Nine: The Emergence of Black Women Artists: Arguments and Opinions Chapter Ten: Sonia Boyce and Other Black Women Artists Chapter Eleven: Substantial Sculpture: The work of Sokari Douglas Camp, Veronica Ryan, and Permindar Kaur. Chapter Twelve: Black Artists of the 1990s Generation Chapter Thirteen: The Triumphant Triumvirate: Yinka Shonibare, Chris Ofili, and Steve McQueen. Epilogue: The New Generation
