Sonia Boyce

Sonia Boyce is a British Afro-Caribbean artist, now living in London. Her early work was based upon 'race, ethnicity and contemporary urban experience expressed in large pastel drawings and photographic collages, questioning racial stereotypes in the media and in day-to-day life' ( http://www.iniva.org/library/archive/people/b/boyce_sonia).
"The effect of her work has been to re-orientate and re-negotiate the position of Black or Afro-Caribbean art within the cultural mainstream. " (http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/artists_stories/single/63633). 


Sonia Boyce studied in my home town at  the first National Convention of Black Artists at Wolverhampton College of Art , where she was amazed to find so many interested and engaged black artists. This experience reassured her that she was on the right career path and strengthened her belief in what she was doing ( http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/artists_stories/single/63633). All of her work is so full of passion and  full of the very essence of  everything she stands for. Each of her works are equally as strong as the next one and you can clearly see that her ethnicity is a big part of who she is. 

(http://thepracticeexchange.blogspot.co.uk/2010_08_01_archive.html)

'We Are English' is my favourite of hers the colours used in the stripes are really earthy natural tones, ones you would relate to Africa, on the other hand the type saying 'We are English' is written in English which means exactly what it says. I think she has linked both sides parts of her ethnic background so perfectly and the message is clear and simple, in my opinion a very strong piece of art.

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References:
-http://www.iniva.org/library/archive/people/b/boyce_sonia
-http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/artists_stories/single/63633
-http://thepracticeexchange.blogspot.co.uk/2010_08_01_archive.html