This Saturday 1st July sees the opening of Lubaina Himid: Warp and Weft, a survey of works by the 2017 Turner Prize nominee at Firstsite gallery in Colchester.
A key figure in the Black Arts Movement, Himid first came to prominence in the 1980s when she began organising exhibitions of work by her peers, who were underrepresented in the contemporary art scene. Her diverse approach disrupts preconceptions of the world by introducing historical and contemporary stories of racial bias and acts of violence inflicted upon oppressed communities.
Himid is best known for her painting which is what will be on view at Firstite. Specifically, three bodies of work by the artist are being showcased and these are Naming the Money (2004), Cotton.com (2002) and the ongoing series Negative Positives: The Guardian Archive (2007 – 2017).
The exhibition’s title, Warp and Weft, refers to the process by which threads are held in tension on a frame or loom to create cloth. The artist chose this title for its reference to Colchester’s important position in the wool trade between the 13th and 16th centuries, and its complex history of race and migration that is reflected in the productive tensions of Himid’s work.
The exhibition at Firstsite follows three critically acclaimed presentations of Himid’s work at contemporary art institutions in the UK and will be followed by a touring programme that will conclude at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, in Spring 2018.
Lubaina Himid: Warp and Weft will be on view at Firstsite from 1 July – 1 October 2017; Lewis Gardens, High Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JH; Open daily 10am – 5pm; Admission: FREE
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