Artist Profile: Keith Piper

1 April 2017

Born in Malta in 1960 and raised in Birmingham, Keith Piper studied art at Trent Polytechnic and The Royal College of Art. He was a founder member of the BLK Art Group in the 1980s. The group fought to raise the profile of black artists through exhibitions and conferences, a contribution whose significance is only now being recognized in the development of 20th century British art.

Piper's initial interests in collage and print media contributed to a pioneering use of early computer technology, not only as a tool for video editing and effects but also for it's potential interactivity, exemplified by his 1997 CDRom and website for inIVA, Relocating the Remains. Piper's multi-screen, multi-media installations, often taking their sources from popular sources such as television, explore representations of race within history and culture.

Over the past 30 years Piper has used a variety of media, from painting, photography and installation to digital media, video and computer based interactivity. His work has shown extensively; with solo exhibitions at the Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, The Camden Arts Centre, London, The Orchard Gallery, Derry and The New Museum, New York.

Unearthing the Banker's Bones, a new Arts Council Collection 70th Anniversary commission by Keith Piper premiered as part of the artist’s solo show of the same name at Liverpool’s Bluecoat Gallery, 28 October – 22 January 2017.

Unearthing the Banker’s Bones is currently on tour at New Art Exchange in Nottingham, 1 April – 11 June.

Artist's website

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The Arts Council Collection is the UK's most widely seen collection of modern and contemporary art.

With more than 8,000 works by over 2,000 artists, it can be seen in exhibitions and public displays across the country and beyond. This website offers unprecedented access to the Collection, and information about each work can be found on this site.