BBC - Radio 4 Woman's Hour -Sonia Boyce

The contemporary artist on her new work 'Devotional'.

In the last of our series on British female contemporary artists we look at the work of Sonia Boyce. In the early eighties her work was at the centre of the then prominent Black British art scene - questioning racial stereotypes in the media and in day to day life. More recent work incorporates a variety of media that combine photographs, collages, films, drawings, installation and sound - often working with other artists in improvisational collaborations. She has exhibited nationally and internationally.

Felicity Finch went to meet her accompanied by artist author Rebecca Fortnum. They started by asking Sonia about her current exhibition which is currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery. Entitled ‘Devotional’, the project invites guests, including visitors to the exhibition, to nominate a musician who means something to them. The result is an elaborately hand-drawn list on the walls of the National Portrait Gallery.

For You, Only You has been commissioned by the Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art at the University of Oxford in partnership with the De La Warr Pavilion, Locus+, Milton Keynes Gallery and the Model Arts and Niland Gallery and with the support of Arts Council England. It will open at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea on Saturday 29 September 2007. ‘For You Only You’ collaboration between artist Sonia Boyce, sound artist Mikhail Karikis and music Professor and performer David Skinner with his group Alamire. Performed and filmed at Magdalen College Oxford. ‘Devotional’ at the National Portrait Gallery until 25^th November.

Contemporary British Women Artists in their own words by Rebecca Fortnum, Publisher: I.B. TAURIS
ISBN 978-1-84511-224-0

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