Brent pupils had the chance to enjoy and reflect on a Turner Prize winner’s artwork

Lubaina Himid’s The Bird Seller: Are You Listening? was displayed for students at Alperton Community School last Monday (July4).

The scheme is a collaboration between non-profit Onework and Artists in Residence, the charity founded by Global Teacher Prize winner Andria Zafirakou.

Born in Zanzibar, Lubaina Himid moved to the UK as a baby. She was a pioneer of the UK’s Black Art movement in the 1980s, and has an exhibition currently running at the Tate Modern. In 2017, she became the first Black woman to win the Turner Prize. She was also the oldest person to be nominated for the prize, as previously nominees had to be under 50.

Andria Zafirakou said: “I would like to thank Onework for making this beautiful initiative possible. Lubaina Himid’s work embodies the importance of diversity, something which is integral to Alperton Community School and the local area. I know the students feel very proud that a world-class work of art was displayed here.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for our students not only to learn more about art, but also to open their eyes to the possibility of a career in the creative industries, whether as a painter, like Lubaina Himid, as a curator, like our partners from the James Lindon Gallery, or even as an art handler, like the talented professionals installing The Bird Seller: Are You Listening? at our school.”

James Lindon, founder of Onework, said: “It has been wonderful working with Andria on this amazing project to bring beloved works into the classroom, and we hope to replicate it across many more schools. This day, like art itself, is about celebrating diversity and building bridges between communities. It serves as an important reminder that art should be for everyone, not just the privileged few.”

Last year, Onework visited Alperton Community School with Sydney, a painting by celebrated African-American artist Sam Gillam, whose work is on display at London’s Tate Modern, as well as the Guggenheim and Museum of Modern Art in New York.