This much-anticipated large-scale exhibition debuts Lubaina Himid’s most recent work and includes highlights from her influential career. Drawing inspiration from her interest in theatre, the exhibition unfolds as a sequence of scenes designed to transport visitors both center-stage and behind the scenes.

Initially trained in theatre design, Himid has become well-known for her innovative and unique methods of painting and social engagement. She has played a crucial role in the UK since the 1980s for her contributions to the British Black artists movement, which has created space for the expression and appreciation of the Black experience as well as women’s creativity.

For her figurative paintings, which examine forgotten and invisible parts of history as well as present everyday life, she has gained international acclaim during the last ten years. In 2017, she was awarded the Turner Prize, and in 2018, she was granted the honorary title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to the arts.

Exibition pieces

For the first time ever, Himid’s new solo exhibition brings together five paintings from her Le Rodeur series made between 2016 – 2017, consisting of six paintings in total.

You can also expect to see all six new paintings premiere as a part of her exhibition at the Tate Modern. Created in the artist’s Preston-based studio, these figurative paintings invite viewers to look deeper into what seems plain-sighted witness both the ordinary and extraordinary in her work. this and much more are to be showcased in Tate’s new exhibition.