Hannah Uzor, a British-Zambian artist, has garnered recognition for her thought-provoking portraits that delve into history, particularly Black diasporic history and figures. Her journey as an artist is as compelling as her work, marked by a blend of cultural influences and a passion for shedding light on untold stories.
Hannah Uzor with her painting of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria's African goddaughter, at Osborne House
Early Life and Education
Hannah Hasiciimbwe was born in Lusaka, Zambia, in 1982. As an infant, she and her parents moved to England, returning to Zambia when she was two years old. She became interested in art at a young age and began painting as a teenager. In 2019, Uzor began formal art studies at Kensington and Chelsea College and later earned her master's degree at the Slade School of Fine Art.
From Business to Art
Prior to working as an artist, Uzor worked in business development and digital marketing. It was only when her mother died in 2016 that she decided to pursue her passion for art and enrolled at Kensington and Chelsea College. She hasn't looked back but admits her time in an office job taught her 'to respect deadlines'. Many of her paintings, completed at home in the evenings when she is not looking after her young family, are done in two to three days.
Inspirations and Themes
Uzor is inspired by history, particularly Black diasporic history and figures. She works primarily with acrylics. Hannah's art has often aimed at shining a light on racism in Britain. She has also supported the Black Lives Matter movement and even spoke against out against all white casts in period dramas such as Downton Abbey, praising the more diverse Bridgerton. Her work often challenges assumptions, especially about black women.
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Uzor first shot to prominence in 2020 when she undertook a wide-reaching project using portraits to highlight historical figures of the African diaspora who had played a part in English history and the complex relationships they had with Victorian society. Inspired by Uzor’s work, the charity went on to commission five other portraits from five other artists, an achievement of which Uzor is rightly very proud.
Each body of work is centred on a particular research focus, drawing from a variety of references, including archival images, historical paintings, family photographs and literature. The act of researching and observation is just as important to her in building a picture of the sitter as the research material she discovers. She tells me that her practice is driven by her interest in history, particularly diasporic culture and its manifestation in personal and public memory.
British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor said she was honouring the strength and dignity of Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales for the cover of Tatler's July issue
Notable Works
Sarah Forbes Bonetta
Hannah first made headlines after her painting of Queen Victoria 's African goddaughter Sarah Forbes Bonetta was unveiled for Black History Month in the UK and is now part of their public collection at the monarch's home on the Isle of Wight, Osborne House. The acquisition of her portrait portrait of Sarah Forbes Bonetta led to the commissioning of five other portraits of historical figures of the African diaspora by English Heritage.
Born to an African chief, at the age of five Sarah Forbes Bonetta's parents were killed during a war and she was captured by King Gezo of Dahomy. She remained in captivity, under the looming threat she could be used as a human sacrifice, until the age of seven, when British naval officer Captain Frederick Forbes arrived in modern-day Benin to put an end to slavery. Queen Victoria met the orphaned princess at Windsor Castle, describing her as 'sharp and intelligent,' having paid for her education.
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Sarah Forbes Bonetta: Portrait of Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter unveiled | 5 News
Princess of Wales Portrait
In May 2024, Uzor was commissioned by Tatler to paint a portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales for the cover of their July 2024 issue. Uzor was not able to have Catherine sit for the portrait, and instead used images available online as reference material. She completed the project in three weeks. The painting is set against a green-blue background - a nod to Kate's eye colour and the experience of being in a garden and on water, reflecting the princess's love of rowing, Mrs Uzor has said.
The princess did not sit for the portrait and Uzor researched photos of her to inform her work, saying she had found more than 189,000 images of Kate in a picture archive. Uzor says she was particularly inspired by Kate's Windsor video where she revealed her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy. And Ms Uzor, who is married to a software engineer, also says despite never meeting her, there is a connection between them because both women love motherhood.
However, the portrait has received mixed reviews, with some critics like Alastair Sooke of the Daily Telegraph calling it 'egregiously, intolerably, jaw-hits-the-floor bad'. Despite the criticism, Uzor stands by her work, stating that she wanted to capture the Princess of Wales' 'dignity, elegance and grace' and her bravery in the face of cancer.
The Hertfordshire-based artist also displayed her work in the UK's Black Lives Matter virtual gallery during the pandemic in 2021.
Artistic Process and Influences
Uzor places a lot of emphasis on how both the visible and invisible parts of a character can be revealed through a painting. She works with acrylics and will start with the background, which she will paint in a colour wash. The next step will be the figure, which she will construct from elements pulled together from the countless photographs she has used for inspiration. The important thing for her in any portrait is to convey the layers of the subject’s personality - in this case, more specifically to capture the dichotomy between the public persona and the private.
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When I ask about her artistic influences, she cites Toulouse Lautrec ‘because he both paints and draws’, as does she. I can see the same sense of balance in her work, the subject often sitting off-centre against a complementary background. She also admires Gauguin for colour and Cézanne for construction; and her contemporary art heroes include Kerry James Marshall, Barbara Walker and Yinka Shonibare, all of whom she admires for the importance of history to their work.
Recognition and Commissions
Uzor is the third artist to receive a commission from Tatler to paint a portrait of a member of the royal family. She follows Sarah Knights, whose painting of the King appeared on the magazine's July 2023 cover, and Oluwole Omofemi, whose tribute to Queen Elizabeth II graced the Platinum Jubilee issue in 2022. Uzor recently finished an MA at the Slade School of Fine Art, where, in 2021, she won the inaugural Milein Cosman Scholarship for Drawing.
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