A Brief History of Black British Art

by Rianna Jade Parker

Critic and curator Rianna Jade Parker’s A Brief History of Black British Art reveals the story of Black artists of African and Caribbean descent and their major contributions to the British art scene.Black artists in Britain have long been making major contributions to art history. While some of these artists have been embraced at times by the art world, for the most part they have not received the recognition they deserve.Taking as its starting point the London-based Caribbean Artists Movement, this concise introduction showcases the work of over 60 Black British artists from the 1960s until the present. The works included here offer a lens through which to understand and contextualize the political and cultural climate, while shedding light on the unique Black British experience. Constructed around contemporary thoughts on race, nationhood, citizenship, gender, class, sexuality, and aesthetics in Britain, this book explores themes at the heart of Black British Art.At a time when representation of Black artists and the interrogation of the ethics of the art world have taken on a renewed urgency, this is a timely and accessible publication that celebrates Black artists in Britain and their outstanding contribution to art and global culture.
 
Includes over 70 beautiful color reproductions
 

160 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2022

Reviews

[Kathryn Pearson]

Really accessible and interesting introduction to Black British Art, loved its format and found myself diving into the lives of many artists mentioned. The Black Arts Movement has not even been mentioned in my art course at college (huge eye roll) so this was an excellent and important starting point.

[Roisin]

Short and to the point, with examples of art created by Black British artists.

Good primer of the genre in regards to modern and contemporary art.

[Laura]

When questioned about Black British Art in 1988, curator and historian Eddie Chambers revealed: "the function of Black Art, as I saw it a few years ago, was to confront the white establishment for its racism, as much as to address the Black community in its struggle for human equality. I think Black Art still has that role to play."  At the time of going to press with this book, over 30 years later, I would assert that work by Black artists still has this function, and to some extent the responsibility to assist in this struggle. Accepting the categorization or not, first, second or third generations of Afro-descended immigrants have used their art-making not only to independently forge and fully acknowledge their identities, but as an outlet to challenge the rules of daily life while navigating the incomplete and often subordinate experience of 'Britishness' and citizenship, which has always been unstable and temporal for Black people.

British born West Indians and younger migrants who were educated and raised in the UK, were British in many regards, but this was not reflected in their daily lives or living conditions. The discrimination they faced and their lack of social mobility, the alienation they experienced and the uncertainty of their place in society spearheaded the construction of Black Britain's consciousness. 

I found this book at Tate. A marvellous guide to Black British Art by British-born West Indians and Africans, this work takes us through a wonderful outburst of visual creation inspired by the 80s riots in England and beyond, the birth of a more distinct voice in black consciousness. Parker has done a fantadtic job.

[Nelson Cummins]

Interesting read and useful overview of Black British Art history