A fully illustrated and insightful exploration of Black and diasporic British art.

Claudette Johnson: Presence accompanies a major exhibition of work by British artist Claudette Johnson (b. 1959) at The Courtauld Gallery. A founding member of the Black British Art Movement, Johnson is considered one of the most significant figurative artists of her generation. For more than thirty years she has created large-scale drawings of Black women and men that are at once intimate yet powerful. Presenting a carefully selected group of major works from across Claudette Johnson’s career, from key early drawings of the 1980s, with which first established her name, to her remarkable new and recent works, this exhibition and publication offers a compelling overview of Johnson’s pioneering career and artistic development. It explores how Johnson has directed her approach to representing her subjects over three decades. It also considers how her practice is rooted in the art of the past, with The Courtauld’s collection providing a rich context in which to see her work.