Lubaina Himid

Himid's artistic practice encompasses painting, drawing, installation, and printmaking, distinguished by bold patterns and vibrant colors.

Biography of Lubaina Himid

The artist was born in Zanzibar Sultanate (now part of Tanzania) in 1954. Following the death of her father when she was just four months old, she moved to Britain with her mother.

Himid attended Wimbledon College of Art, where she studied Theatre Design and earned her B.A. in 1976. She later completed her master's degree in Cultural History at the Royal College of Art in London in 1984.

She was among the pioneering artists of the UK's Black Art movement in the 1980s. She remains active in creating activist art showcased in galleries across Britain and around the world. 

Himid's curatorial efforts have prominently featured the work of other Black artists, with a particular focus on women. She curated notable group exhibitions such as "The Thin Black Line" at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (1985).

In 2010, she received an MBE, followed by a CBE in 2018. In 2017, she made history as the first Black woman to win the Turner Prize. Himid is also the recipient of the 2024 Suzanne Deal Booth / FLAG Art Foundation Prize.

Currently, she lives and works in Preston, England.

Lubaina Himid's Art Style

Lubaina Himid employs mixed media, painting on diverse surfaces such as ceramic and wood, frequently creating objects and sculptures that incorporate performative elements.

She is immersed in revealing marginalized and silenced histories, figures, and cultural moments.  Himid's artistry also explores her own heritage. As a participant in the Black Arts Movement of the 1980s, her work is politically charged, addressing issues of race, gender, and class. She also explores the tradition of history painting in the Western canon, drawing inspiration from Hogarth's satirical morality tales depicted in paintings and engravings, which have long fascinated Himid.