The month of October celebrates Black History Month. We have selected some incredible artists of Black, African and Caribbean heritage to display work celebrating black excellence in creativity.

If you’re a London-based artist and would like to exhibit your work, apply now

Christina Marshall

My work is called Carnival of Inspiration as I was inspired by the rich diverse culture of London. I am also very proud of my Caribbean heritage, and this vibrancy of the colours creates a bright, celebratory atmosphere, which inspires and uplifts me.

Gloria Da Silva

The most identifiable aspect of myself:my hair. My appearance may inadvertently prevent people from approaching me which, in turn, prevents me from showing others my true self. Sometimes, it feels as though my appearance appeases me with something sweet in order to seem unaffected; to maintain the façade of happiness.

@gloria.ds.art

Joshua Obichere

Representing blackness in it’s true authenticity, this piece of work projects bold statements of black culture. Who said it’s unprofessional to wear a durag to protect the crown of glory, afro hair, made to be treated right? Who said African culture is too overbearing for the everyday. Let culture shine.

@blackness_in_portraiture

Kwesi Awotwi

Kwesi Awotwi is a London based artist from Hackney. His artistic practice is disciplined in the use and technique of different art mediums. His work ranges between the themes of African Art, The Harlem Renaissance,Modern Art and Expressionism and explores his identity, personal experiences and opinion, of what he feels it means to be British and of Ghanaian heritage. This can be seen through the imagery displayed in his art pieces.

@kwesiawotwiart

Labet

Started during the first 2020 lock down. During this period of worry and isolation listening to music was a source of therapy and escape. Learning to appreciate simple moments of joy this painting came together through nostalgic memories of getting dressed and turning up to events and family gatherings.

@labet.makes.art/

Nariscia Henriques

A digital/photography series about honouring our sexual power highlighting the Divine feminine and masculine energies within us. Shifting the narrative of nudity in art from being overly sexualised to looking beyond the skin and seeing ourselves as sacred sexual beings which deserve to be celebrated and loved.

@nariscia

Olympia Alasawi

Olympia Alsawi is a contemporary artist based in London. She grew up in Barcelona, Spain, with Palestinian-Lebanese and Congolese roots. From an early age, she has had an interest in capturing human expression, the human figure, and its visual perception. She studied an Arts Baccalaureate (IB) at the Institut Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona in 2010 and completed a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) in Fashion Design and Technology at the London College of Fashion (UAL) in 2016. Drawn from her multicultural heritage, her paintings reflect on personal experiences around race and gender stereotypes, through unique oil and mixed media portraiture, filled with generous layers of earth colours and confident brushstrokes. Her portraits focus on the positive representation of her subjects and the celebration of their identity. These include people drawn from found images and from her own photographs of the people she encounters in her natural environment.

@olympiaalsawi

Selena Scott

Taking inspiration from the theories of Frantz Fanon in his books ‘The Wretched of the Earth’ and ‘Black Skin, White Masks’, Scott primarily focuses on the socially normalised preconception to associate ‘black’ with ‘wrong’. Her work feeds from many resources, especially rap, music videos and film, taking these forms of black expression and displaying the omnipresence of our shared struggles. She primarily uses oil paints on canvas, however her practice extends to film, textiles and digital animation.

@selenarosescott