Claudette Johnson facts for kids

Claudette Johnson is a talented British artist born in 1959. She is famous for her big, powerful drawings of Black women. Claudette was also a founding member of the BLK Art Group, a group of artists who wanted to show Black experiences in art. Many people, like Modern Art Oxford, say she is one of the best artists in Britain today who draws people. In 2024, she was chosen as a finalist for the important Turner Prize and also became a member of the Royal Academy of Arts. Her amazing artwork can be seen in many public art collections, including the Tate Britain and the Manchester Art Gallery.

About Claudette Johnson

Early Life and Art School

Claudette Johnson was born in Manchester, UK. She loved art and went to study Fine Art at Wolverhampton Polytechnic. While she was still a student there, she helped start the BLK Art Group. This group was very important for Black artists in Britain.

The BLK Art Group and Early Exhibitions

In 1983, Claudette took part in the BLK Art Group's second art show in London. She also gave a talk at the First National Black Arts Conference in 1982. This talk was a big moment for Black feminist art in the UK.

Her art was shown in many important group exhibitions. These included Five Black Women and Black Woman Time Now in 1983. Her work was also in The Thin Black Line at the ICA in London in 1986.

What Her Art Means

In 1992, Claudette had a solo exhibition called In This Skin: Drawings by Claudette Johnson. The famous artist Steve McQueen wrote about her work. He said she brings out the "soul, sensuality, dignity, and spirituality of the black woman." He also noted that her art is deeply connected to her African heritage.

Another artist, Lubaina Himid, described Claudette's work as "deeply sensuous" and "richly coloured." Claudette herself calls the Black women in her drawings "monoliths." This means they are larger-than-life versions of women. Artist Eddie Chambers said these portraits "demanded the viewer’s attention, as well as their respect."

Continuing the Legacy

In 2011, Claudette helped start the BLK Arts Research Group. She worked with Marlene Smith and Keith Piper. Their goal was to look back at the BLK Art Group's work and its history. In 2012, they held a big exhibition and a conference. Her work was also part of the No Colour Bar: Black British Art in Action 1960–1990 exhibition in London.

Recent Exhibitions and Recognition

Claudette Johnson had a solo exhibition at Hollybush Gardens in London in 2017. Frieze magazine said her works showed a "profound and tender intimacy."

In 2019, she had a major exhibition at Modern Art Oxford. This show was seen as an overview of her amazing work. Reviewers said her art helps to correct negative images of Black people. It also helps to make Black people more visible in art and culture. Apollo magazine noted that Claudette's art shows the "humanity, our feelings and our politics" of Black women.

In September 2023, her solo show Claudette Johnson: Presence opened at the Courtauld Gallery in London. This was her first solo show at a major public gallery in London. A critic from The Guardian praised how she questions older paintings of non-white figures. The critic said her work "invites a more meditative response."

Awards and Achievements

Claudette Johnson was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award in 2022. This was for her great contributions to art. In the same year, she received an honorary doctorate from Wolverhampton University. This is where she earned her art degree in 1982.

Her exhibitions Presence at the Courtauld Gallery and Drawn Out in New York were mentioned when she was chosen as a finalist for the 2024 Turner Prize. In March 2024, she was also elected to the Royal Academy.

Claudette has also created special artworks for different places. She painted a portrait of Stuart Hall for Merton College, Oxford. She also created a mural called "Three Women" for Brixton tube station in London. In 2023, The Guardian newspaper asked her to paint a portrait of activist Sarah Parker Remond.

Selected Exhibitions

• 1983: Five Black Women Artists. Africa Centre, London.
• 1983: Black Women Time Now. Battersea Arts Centre London.
• 1986: The Thin Black Line. Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.
• 1992: In This Skin: Drawings by Claudette Johnson. Black Art Gallery, London.
• 2012: Thin Black Line(s). Tate Britain, London.
• 2015–16: No Colour Bar: Black British Art in Action 1960–1990, Guildhall Art Gallery, London.
• 2019: Claudette Johnson: I Came to Dance, Modern Art Oxford.
• 2023: Claudette Johnson: Presence. Courtauld, London.
• 2023: Claudette Johnson: Drawn Out. Ortuzar Projects, New York.

See also

In Spanish: Claudette Johnson para niños