BLK Art Group

The BLK Art Group was the name chosen in 1982 by a group of four influential conceptual artists, painters, sculptors and installation artists based in the United Kingdom. Keith Piper, Marlene Smith [ [http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/rodney/q1.htm Marlene Smith recounts founding of BLK Art Group on Tate Britain website. Accessed "23 February 2007".] , Eddie Chambers [ [http://www.calling.org.uk/pages/commentary/chambers/Chambers_bio.php Eddie Chambers Biography] by Richard Hylton. "As a facilitator and mentor to many in the visual arts, the importance of his contribution cannot be overstated". Accessed "22 December 2006"] and Donald Rodney were initially based in the Midlands.

The group were all from the British African-Caribbean community and exhibited in a number of group exhibitions in both small and prestigious galleries throughout the country. Their work was noted for its boldly political stance, producing dynamic conceptual art that offered a series of inventive critiques on the state of inter-communal, class and gender relations in the UK. They were themselves influenced by the a variety of artistic currents including ideas associated with the USA's Black Arts Movement. Donald Rodney, who suffered from sickle cell anaemia (anemia), died aged 36 in 1998.

Institutional Impact

The group's critique of the institutional racism of Britain's art world was part of the impetus that led to The Other Story, a seminal survey of African and Asian artists at London's Hayward Gallery in 1989 as well as the founding of the Association of Black Photographers and the establishment of Iniva, the Institute of International Visual arts. Piper and Chambers themselves have both gone on to achieve veteran status as educators, writers and curators.

Critical Appraisal

Eddie Chambers has argued that despite their undoubted creativity and social relevance, the group suffered from the general lack of serious critical attention given to black artists by the British Arts media [http://www.artmonthly.co.uk/eddie.htm Art Monthly Review of Shades of Black by Eddie Chambers Accessed "23 February 2007". ] Nevertheless, their enthusiasm and commitment to making art relevant to everyday life ensured that they were a strong influence on the later generation of black British artists that included YBAs like Chris Ofili and Steve McQueen both of whom went on to win the Turner Prize, whilst maintaining a clear political element to their work.

Artists Associated with the BLK Art Group

* Faisal Abdu'allah [ [http://universes-in-universe.de/car/sharjah/2003/art/abdu-allah/english.htm Faisal Abdu'Allah gallery] Universes in Universe - Worlds of Art. Accessed "8 October 2006".] - consequent
* David A Bailey - contemporary
* Sonia Boyce - contemporary
* Denzil Forrester - contemporary
* Godfried Donkor - consequent
* Lubaina Himid - contemporary
* Claudette Johnson - contemporary
* Tam Joseph [ [http://www.eddiechambers.com/exhibitions/blurbs/joseph.html Eddie Chambers Profile of Tam Joseph] . Accessed "13 March 2007".] - forerunner/contemporary
* Virginia Nimarkoh - contemporary
* Pitika Ntuli - forerunner/contemporary
* Eugene Palmer - contemporary
* Mark Sealy - contemporary
* Maud Sulter - contemporary

References