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Born: 1954
Summary of Lubaina Himid
Lubaina Himid was born in Zanzibar in 1954 and now lives and works in Preston in the United Kingdom.
With her painting, Naming the Money, she received the Turner Prize (one of the most prestigious art prizes in the UK, named after British artist J. M. W. Turner). The work consisted of 100 life-size cut-out figures depicting black servants and labourers; her goal was to individualise each of these individuals, and she ‘gave each of them a name and a narrative to battle against the idea of the helpless mass.’
Himid is inspired by a wide range of topics, including patterns, cultural history, and so on… Her major source of motivation, however, is a desire to recover identities and cultural past. Her paintings frequently convey the notion of striving to detach individual individuals from a certain theme, such as the black rights struggle, in which she gave each person their own story and identity, attempting to persuade others that these individuals were genuine people, not simply “things” or “objects.” She’s seen how easy it is to lose sight of the reality that individuals in history were living, breathing beings, and she’s working to re-connect us with them and their experiences.
Himid creates paintings, prints, drawings, and installations that honour the black talent and the African diaspora while also calling attention to institutional invisibility. She discusses the slave trade and its ramifications, as well as the hidden and underappreciated cultural contributions of real but forgotten individuals. She also frequently removes her paintings off the gallery wall, transforming them into objects that surround the viewer.
Childhood 1954-1984
Following the loss of her father when she was four months old, she travelled to Britain with her mother, a textile designer (Himid has been around textiles, and patterns from a very young age, and has found the patterns of textiles have helped her to develop her style of work). She received her B.A. in 1976 from Wimbledon College of Art, where she studied Theatre Design. In 1984, she earned a Master’s degree in Cultural History from London’s Royal College of Art.
Lubaina Himids Medium?
Himid works in a variety of media, including paintings, drawings, prints, and installations. She paints on a number of materials, including ceramic and wood, and frequently creates performance objects that are meant to be experienced in a location.
Curations 1983-1987
Himid curated many shows of black women artists, including Black Woman Time Now (1983) at the Battersea Arts Centre in London and Five Black Women (1983) at the Africa Centre in London. Into the Open (1984), The Thin Black Line (1985), Unrecorded Truths (1986), Out There Fighting (1987), New Robes for MaShulan (1987), and State of the Art (1987) are some of the other shows (1987). The exhibition Into the Open, which took place at Sheffield’s Mappin Art Gallery, was largely recognised as the first significant exhibition of the new generation of black British painters.
Naming The Money – Lubaina Himid 2017 Turner Prize-Winning Art
The work ‘Naming the Money’ consists of 100 life-size painted cut-out figures. This is the tale of a slave/servant, as well as an emigrant and an asylum applicant. Each cut-out has a true identity and is allowed to declare who they are, but they are forced to live with their new identity and unpaid profession, seeking to reconcile the two. Every individual in the work is attempting to communicate with you; everyone has a voice that may be heard through the gallery space’s soundscape or as text on an invoice collaged to his or her back.
When looking at pictures of black servants, the concept of a portrait as a resemblance of a person and, to some degree, a reveal of the inner character is flipped on its head. While they definitely make appearances on camera, this is seldom their primary goal. The servant’s duty is only to improve the look and character of the other person represented, especially in paintings when they appear with their lord or mistress. The servant’s identity, personality, dreams, and goals are at best secondary, and at worst, completely missing.
The fact that black slaves figure in so many images illustrates their importance in household life. They are, however, unknown and shrouded in mystery. Naming The Money, an installation by Lubaina Himid, explores the hidden history of African slaves and servants. It provides neglected people a voice, as well as names and backstories for unknown supporting characters.
BULLET POINTED (SUMMARISED)
Best for Students and a Huge Time Saver
- Lubaina Himid was born in Zanzibar in 1954 and now lives and works in Preston in the United Kingdom.
- With her painting, Naming the Money, she received the Turner Prize (one of the most prestigious art prizes in the UK, named after British artist J. M. W. Turner).
- The work consisted of 100 life-size cut-out figures depicting black servants and labourers; her goal was to individualise each of these individuals, and she ‘gave each of them a name and a narrative to battle against the idea of the helpless mass.’
- Himid is inspired by a wide range of topics, including patterns, cultural history, and so on…
- Her major source of motivation, however, is a desire to recover identities and cultural past.
- Her paintings frequently convey the notion of striving to detach individual individuals from a certain theme, such as the black rights struggle, in which she gave each person their own story and identity, attempting to persuade others that these individuals were genuine people, not simply “things” or “objects.”
- She’s seen how easy it is to lose sight of the reality that individuals in history were living, breathing beings, and she’s working to re-connect us with them and their experiences.
- Himid creates paintings, prints, drawings, and installations that honour the black talent and the African diaspora while also calling attention to institutional invisibility.
- She discusses the slave trade and its ramifications, as well as the hidden and underappreciated cultural contributions of real but forgotten individuals.
- She also frequently removes her paintings off the gallery wall, transforming them into objects that surround the viewer.
Information Citations
En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.
