10 Black Artists to watch in 2020

As a curator and art lover, I constantly come across new talent but you know when you've come across someone special and these 10 artists are just that. From painting to sculptor, mixed media and illustration there is something for every collection. So if you're looking for new artists to invest in, here are 10 that are on the rise:

1. Hugo Mendes

Hugo Mendes a visual artist from Maputo, Mozambique. Through his artwork Hugo aims to represent aspects of everyday life, referring to the collective history of the Mozambican people and their fantasies whilst seeking more intimate elements of the black experience.

Image 'The Afronaut' © Hugo Mendes

See more of Hugo's work

 

2. Sungi Mlengeya

Sungi (1991) is a Tanzanian born artist and painter, whose minimalist high-contrast portraits celebrate the 'beauty in blackness.' Dark skin tones set against white backgrounds has become synonymous with the painter's style.

Image 'Constant II' © Sungi Mlengeya

Follow Sungi @sungimlengeya

    

3. Affen Segun

One of our bestselling artists, Nigerian mixed-media artist Affen Segun creates portraits combining Ankara fabric and acrylic paint touching on motherhood, black power and tradition.

Image © Affen Segun

See more of Affen's work

 

4. Amber Roper

Amber; a London based fibre artist, creates bold geometric handmade pieces that will fill any wall with colour, inspired by South African and Mexican textiles. In October we had the pleasure of hosting a weaving workshop with Amber to try our hand at creating our very own piece of fibre art!

Image © Amber Roper

Follow Amber @thebluhenstudio 

 

5. Lee-Roy Zozo 

Lee-Roy is a newcomer who's definitely one to watch, he works with oil on wood and uses the raw element of the wood raw to depict skin tones. One of his largest pieces a 6.5ft figurative painting was on display at our last exhibition and quickly became a favourite among visitors.

Image 'Forces of Nature' © Lee-Roy Zozo

Follow Lee-Roy @leeroy.zozo

 

6. Larry Amponsah

Larry is a Ghanaian artist, living and working in London. His work uses archival images and materials to tell fictional stories that deal with issues on a global platform. Larry has been on our radar since 1:54 and his last exhibition 'When a Stone Cracks We Don't Stitch' we look forward to seeing new works from him this year.

Image © Larry Amponsah

Follow Larry @larry.collections

   

7. Neals Niat

Neals was born in Paris from Cameroonian parents and lived between both countries as a child. The two cultures are a huge inspiration for his pieces, which tell stories of migration, which is why the idea of movement is present throughout many of his pieces.

Image 'LE YOR / KIWI' © Neals Niat

Follow Neals @nealsniat

  

8. Natalie Osbourne

Natalie is a Chicago based artist whose bold portraits of her muses have a charming familiarity as a fellow black woman. Already attracting the interest of interior designers in the US we expect to see that interest growing globally.

Image 'Rose Colored Memories' © Natalie Osbourne

Follow Natalie @natalieodecor

  

9. Tajh Rust

Tajh Rust is a visual artist based in New York and New Haven. 'His work explores the relationships between black identity and space, taking inspiration from his own travels and imagination, Rust aims to manipulate the boundary between realism and surrealism.' As one of 16 artists selected for Kehinde Wiley's Black Rock residency program, we predict an exciting future for Tajh.

Image 'In The Garden' © Tajh Rust

Follow Tajh @tajhrust

 

10. Rayvenn D'Clark

Rayvenn is a Digital Sculptor, Curator and Writer based in London. Rayvenn's work 'chronicles the elevated reframing of black anatomy' exploring materials, scale and digital manipulation. From our first exhibition with Rayvenn to the latest exhibition 'Body and Soul' at One Canada Square we've seen Rayvenn continue to produce pieces that speak volumes.

Image 'I Don't See In Colour' © Rayvenn D'Clark

Follow Rayvenn @rayvenndclark_art

 

The artists are listed in no particular order – just 10 amazing artists to watch this year!

Curated by Swakara Atwell-Bennett