Lubaina Himid CBE: The Archivist of Presence

Born in Zanzibar in 1954 and raised in the United Kingdom, Lubaina Himid spent decades working at the margins of the art world. She was a leader of the British Black Arts Movement in the 1980s, organizing exhibitions that gave a voice to Black women. It wasn’t until 2017, at the age of 63, that she became the first Black woman to win the Turner Prize.

Her work is centered on “making the invisible visible.” Her most famous installation, Naming the Money, consists of 100 life-sized plywood cut-outs of Black figures—servants, musicians, and dancers—from the courts of 18th-century Europe. On the back of each figure, Himid wrote a fictional biography: their original name, the name given to them by their masters, and what they actually did for a living. By giving these “props” a name and a story, she restores their humanity.

The Impact: Himid’s impact is one of institutional correction. She has spent her life ensuring that Black people in British history are recognized as active participants rather than just passive symbols of wealth. Her win of the Turner Prize was a seismic moment for the United Kingdom, signaling a long-overdue recognition of the Black British contribution to art.