Throughout Black History Month MUP staff are writing blog posts about people, both historical and contemporary, who inspire them. Today, MUP’s Head of Marketing, Chris Hart, is writing about Frank Bowling.
Sir Richard Sheridan Franklin Bowling (born 26 February 1934), known as Frank Bowling, is a Guyana-born British artist. His paintings relate to Abstract expressionism, Colour Field painting, and Lyrical Abstraction. I have chosen Frank Bowling not only because I love his art but also because of how he never rested on his laurels or allowed himself to be pigeonholed. What was true in his approach to art – combining figurative, symbolic and abstract elements, experimenting with a range of materials and paints, from the āPoured Paintingsā to the bright landscapes – was also true in his approach to life and I recommend reading his biography on the Frank Bowling website Sir Frank Bowling OBE RA where you can also view his art (also check out the Tate website Frank Bowling born 1934 | Tate) and find links to his Instagram account Frank Bowling Studio (@frankbowlingstudio) ā¢ Instagram photos and videos ā I have my fingers crossed that someday soon Iāll come across his autobiography/biography in my local bookshop. Iām amazed this book isnāt in existence.
Visit the MUP Black History Month Reading List, where you’ll find more information about our Black History books, author videos and blog posts.