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Thames & Hudson is to publish author and art curator Sharna Jackson’s Black Artists Shaping the World, a celebration of contemporary Black artists from Africa and the African diaspora.
The book aims to introduce readers aged 9+ to contemporary artists working in a variety of mediums from painting, sculpture and drawing to ceramics, installation art and sound art. Artists featured include British Turner Prize-winning painters Lubaina Himid and Chris Ofili; South African visual activist Zanele Muholi; Nigerian sound artist Emeka Ogboh; Sudanese painter Kamala Ibrahim Ishag; Kenyan-British ceramicist Magdalene Odundo; African-American artists Kerry James Marshall, Faith Ringgold, Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley; performance artist Harold Offeh; and moving image artist Larry Achiampong.
Jackson was recently the artistic director at Site Gallery, Sheffield and formerly the editor of the Bafta-nominated Tate Kids website. She is the author of four books for children, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020 winner in the Best Book for Younger Readers category, High Rise Mystery (2019) and Mic Drop (2020).
Anna Ridley, commissioning editor for children’s books at Thames & Hudson, acquired world rights in all languages from Hellie Ogden at Janklow & Nesbit. Ridley said: "Sharna’s expertise in engaging young people with art comes to the fore in Black Artists Shaping the World. Her concise and insightful text makes the work of 26 Black artists accessible to readers from all backgrounds. It is within Thames & Hudson’s DNA to publish books that reflect the visual culture of the world we live in, so we couldn’t be more pleased to work with Sharna to achieve something that so wholeheartedly champions Black artists at work today."
Jackson said: "Black Artists Shaping the World is a chance to take a moment to celebrate a selection of Black artists creating essential and exciting work—work that makes us think and look again. Having worked in the arts for decades and seeing Black artists' marginalisation first-hand, I'm delighted to have collaborated on this book with Dr Zoé Whitley and Thames & Hudson to bring our book to life, to provide a platform for exceptional work and artists. I hope it inspires the next generation to create and come through."
The book publishes on 30th September and will be accompanied by a "major" publicity campaign and book tour.