The Wick List

Viewing A major survey of Black figuration at the National Portrait Gallery

The Wick Culture - Itchin & Scratchin by Denzil Forester (2019) © Denzil Forrester. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery. Photo: Mark Blower. Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) © Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
Above  Itchin & Scratchin by Denzil Forester (2019) © Denzil Forrester. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery. Photo: Mark Blower. Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) © Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
The Wick Culture - Conjestina by Michael Armitage (2017) © Michael Armitage. Photo ® White Cube (Ben Westoby)
Above  Conjestina by Michael Armitage (2017) © Michael Armitage. Photo ® White Cube (Ben Westoby)
The Wick Culture - Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) @ Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
Above  Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) @ Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
The Wick Culture - Nanny of the Maroons' Fifth Act of Mercy by Kimathi Donkor (2012) © Kimathi Donkor. Courtesy of the Artist and Niru Ratnam, London. Photo: Tim Bowditch
Above  Nanny of the Maroons’ Fifth Act of Mercy by Kimathi Donkor (2012) © Kimathi Donkor. Courtesy of the Artist and Niru Ratnam, London. Photo: Tim Bowditch
The Wick Culture - Le Rodeur: The Exchange by Lubaina Himid (2016) © Lubaina Himid. Courtesy of the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate.
Above  Le Rodeur: The Exchange by Lubaina Himid (2016) © Lubaina Himid. Courtesy of the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate.
The Wick Culture - Standing Figure with African Masks by Claudette Johnson (2018) © Claudette Johnson. Courtesy the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate
Above  Standing Figure with African Masks by Claudette Johnson (2018) © Claudette Johnson. Courtesy the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate
The Wick Culture - Seeing Through Time 2 by Titus Kaphar (2018) © Titus Kaphar. Photo: Christopher Gardner. Courtesy the artist and Gagosian; The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
Above  Seeing Through Time 2 by Titus Kaphar (2018) © Titus Kaphar. Photo: Christopher Gardner. Courtesy the artist and Gagosian; The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
The Wick Culture - The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
Above  The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
The Wick Culture - Father Stretch My Hands by Nathaniel Mary Quinn (2021) @ Nathaniel Mary Quinn. Photo: Rob McKeever. Courtesy Gagosian.
Above  Father Stretch My Hands by Nathaniel Mary Quinn (2021) @ Nathaniel Mary Quinn. Photo: Rob McKeever. Courtesy Gagosian.
The Wick Culture - Vanishing Point 24 (Mignard) by Barbara Walker (2021) © Barbara Walker, 2023. Courtesy artist and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London
Above  Vanishing Point 24 (Mignard) by Barbara Walker (2021) © Barbara Walker, 2023. Courtesy artist and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London
The Wick Culture - This second Dreamer by Wangechi Mutu (2017). © Wangechi Mutu, Courtesy of the artist and Gladstone Gallery. Photography by David Regen
Above  This second Dreamer by Wangechi Mutu (2017). © Wangechi Mutu, Courtesy of the artist and Gladstone Gallery. Photography by David Regen
The Wick Culture - She was learning to love moments, to love moments for themselves by Amy Sherald (2017) © Amy Sherald. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Joseph Hyde
Above  She was learning to love moments, to love moments for themselves by Amy Sherald (2017) © Amy Sherald. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Joseph Hyde
The Wick Culture - Itchin & Scratchin by Denzil Forester (2019) © Denzil Forrester. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery. Photo: Mark Blower. Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) © Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
Above  Itchin & Scratchin by Denzil Forester (2019) © Denzil Forrester. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery. Photo: Mark Blower. Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) © Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
The Wick Culture - Conjestina by Michael Armitage (2017) © Michael Armitage. Photo ® White Cube (Ben Westoby)
Above  Conjestina by Michael Armitage (2017) © Michael Armitage. Photo ® White Cube (Ben Westoby)
The Wick Culture - Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) @ Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
Above  Yvonne and James by Jordan Casteel (2017) @ Jordan Casteel. Courtesy the artist and Casey Kaplan, New York. Photo: Adam Reich.
The Wick Culture - Nanny of the Maroons' Fifth Act of Mercy by Kimathi Donkor (2012) © Kimathi Donkor. Courtesy of the Artist and Niru Ratnam, London. Photo: Tim Bowditch
Above  Nanny of the Maroons’ Fifth Act of Mercy by Kimathi Donkor (2012) © Kimathi Donkor. Courtesy of the Artist and Niru Ratnam, London. Photo: Tim Bowditch
The Wick Culture - Le Rodeur: The Exchange by Lubaina Himid (2016) © Lubaina Himid. Courtesy of the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate.
Above  Le Rodeur: The Exchange by Lubaina Himid (2016) © Lubaina Himid. Courtesy of the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate.
The Wick Culture - Standing Figure with African Masks by Claudette Johnson (2018) © Claudette Johnson. Courtesy the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate
Above  Standing Figure with African Masks by Claudette Johnson (2018) © Claudette Johnson. Courtesy the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London. Photo: Andy Keate
The Wick Culture - Seeing Through Time 2 by Titus Kaphar (2018) © Titus Kaphar. Photo: Christopher Gardner. Courtesy the artist and Gagosian; The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
Above  Seeing Through Time 2 by Titus Kaphar (2018) © Titus Kaphar. Photo: Christopher Gardner. Courtesy the artist and Gagosian; The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
The Wick Culture - The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
Above  The Marchioness by Toyin Ojih Odutola (2016) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh.
The Wick Culture - Father Stretch My Hands by Nathaniel Mary Quinn (2021) @ Nathaniel Mary Quinn. Photo: Rob McKeever. Courtesy Gagosian.
Above  Father Stretch My Hands by Nathaniel Mary Quinn (2021) @ Nathaniel Mary Quinn. Photo: Rob McKeever. Courtesy Gagosian.
The Wick Culture - Vanishing Point 24 (Mignard) by Barbara Walker (2021) © Barbara Walker, 2023. Courtesy artist and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London
Above  Vanishing Point 24 (Mignard) by Barbara Walker (2021) © Barbara Walker, 2023. Courtesy artist and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London
The Wick Culture - This second Dreamer by Wangechi Mutu (2017). © Wangechi Mutu, Courtesy of the artist and Gladstone Gallery. Photography by David Regen
Above  This second Dreamer by Wangechi Mutu (2017). © Wangechi Mutu, Courtesy of the artist and Gladstone Gallery. Photography by David Regen
The Wick Culture - She was learning to love moments, to love moments for themselves by Amy Sherald (2017) © Amy Sherald. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Joseph Hyde
Above  She was learning to love moments, to love moments for themselves by Amy Sherald (2017) © Amy Sherald. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Joseph Hyde

The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure
National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE
22 February – 19 May 2024

The indefatigable curator and writer Ekow Eshun has brought together works by 22 artists from the African diaspora in The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure at the National Portrait Gallery, fresh from its £41 million refurb. Figurative works by Michael Armitage, Lubaina Himid, Kerry James Marshall, Toyin Ojih Odutola and Claudette Johnson celebrate the complexity and richness of Black life.

The Time is Always Now borrows its title from the work of James Baldwin, the American writer and civil rights campaigner. It explores the presence of the Black figure in Western art history, while examining its misrepresentation, erasure and marginalisation. This timely show is also the place to revel in the work of some of the most exciting artists working today.
Share story
Dates
22 February 2024 — 19 May 2024
READ MORE
The Wick Culture - Zineb Sedira, Dreams Are a Language Made of Images, 2025, 3 Mills Studios. Photo: Angus Mill
The Wick List

Viewing London Sculpture Week 2026

The Wick Culture - Viewing A major survey of Black figuration at the National Portrait Gallery
The Wick List

Viewing LOOK OUT

The Wick Culture - 何燕儿 He Yan‘er-Silver Floral Headdress and Silver Bird Ornaments & Silver Neck Ring
The Wick List

Viewing Reviving Craft: Reflection of the Mind

The Wick Culture - Photo: The Wick
The Wick List

Viewing The Fourth Plinth

The Wick Culture - © LFPN A. Cazin
The Wick List

Viewing The Bayeux Tapestry

The Wick Culture - The Point of Unity, by Mykola Kabluka, produced by Expolight. Credit: Visualisation: Expolight
The Wick List

Viewing London Design Festival 2026