BLK Art Group member nominated for Turner Prize

An artist who helped to organise the first National Black Art Convention in the UK has been nominated for a Turner Prize.

Claudette Elaine Johnson, MBE, is one of four nominated artists who will compete for the accolade, with the winner to be announced on 3 December.

The nod comes after two solo shows within the last year: Presence at The Courtauld Gallery, London, and Drawn Out at Ortuzar Projects, New York.

She is known for her large-scale drawings of black women and being one of the founder members of the BLK Art Group.

A little more than a decade on from Enoch Powell's infamous Rivers of Blood speech, a group of black students met at the then Wolverhampton Polytechnic's art school in 1979 to discuss life, youth and art. From that gathering, the BLK Art Group was born.

Ms Johnson joined the group in 1981 while she was a student of fine art and graduated the following year, going on to become one of the most prominent black artists in Britain.

Eddie Chambers, Keith Piper, Marlene Smith, Donald Rodney and Janet Vernon were also among the group's original members, seeking to counter racist narratives through art.

Reflecting on her time as a student, Ms Johnson said: "One of the high points was helping to organise the first National Black Art Convention held at the university in 1982.

"It was astonishing to see so many students of colour all engaged with formulating something that might be called Black Art.

"As Goethe said: Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it."

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