Hurvin Anderson's 80-canvas retrospective at Tate Britain explores Black British identity
Tate Britain is hosting a major retrospective of Hurvin Anderson, featuring 80 canvases spanning 30 years, divided into six thematic areas. Anderson, born in Birmingham in 1965 to Windrush-generation Jamaican parents, creates atmospheric landscapes and interior scenes that interrogate Black British experience. The exhibition includes his iconic barbershop series, which reimagines these spaces as sanctuaries from racism, and Caribbean-inspired works where grids and gates symbolize colonial segregation. A video documents decades of social and political upheaval for Black Britons. The show runs until August 23, 2026, accompanied by a catalogue edited by Dominique Heyse-Moore.
Key facts
- Exhibition at Tate Britain features 80 canvases from 30 years of work
- Anderson was born in Birmingham in 1965 to Jamaican Windrush-generation parents
- Works are divided into six areas exploring personal, national, and international history
- Barbershop series portrays these spaces as cultural havens for Black communities
- Caribbean paintings use grids, grills, and gates to critique colonial segregation
- A video accompanies the show, depicting decades of Black British social and political upheaval
- Exhibition catalogue edited by Dominique Heyse-Moore, published by Tate Britain in 2026
- Exhibition runs until August 23, 2026
Entities
Artists
- Hurvin Anderson
Institutions
- Tate Britain
- Thomas Dane Gallery
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Birmingham
- Jamaica
- Caribbean