Hannah Uzor (born 1982) is a British-Zambian painter.[1]
Hannah Uzor | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hannah Hasiciimbwe 1982 (age 41–42) |
Early life and education
editHannah Hasiciimbwe was born in Lusaka, Zambia. As an infant, she and her parents moved to England, returning to Zambia when she was two years old. She became interested in art at a young age, and began painting as a teenager. She returned to the U.K. to pursue a bachelor's degree in computer studies.[1]
In 2019, Uzor began formal art studies at Kensington and Chelsea College.[2] She earned her master's degree at the Slade School of Fine Art. She won the school's inaugural Milein Cosman Scholarship for Drawing in 2021.[1]
Career
editUzor is inspired by history, particularly Black diasporic history and figures.[1][3] She works primarily with acrylics. She has cited Cézanne, Gauguin, Toulouse Lautrec, Kerry James Marshall, Yinka Shonibare, and Barbara Walker as influences.[1]
Prior to working as an artist, Uzor worked in business development and digital marketing. She was inspired to work as a painter following her mother's death in 2016.[1]
In October 2020, Uzor's portrait of Sara Forbes Bonetta, a West African princess and a goddaughter of Queen Victoria, was exhibited by English Heritage at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight in honor of Black History Month.[3][4][5] The portrait is based on a photo of Bonetta in her wedding dress.[4]
In May 2024, Uzor was commissioned by Tatler to paint a portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales for the cover of their July 2024 issue. Uzor was not able to have Catherine sit for the portrait, and instead used images available online as reference material. She completed the project in three weeks. When images of the portrait were released in May, some media outlets and social media users criticized the piece for not looking like Catherine.[1][6]
Personal life
editUzor met her husband, Peter, through her church.The couple have three children.[1] She lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Rosslyn, Helen (2024-05-22). "A picture of strength, dignity and courage: Tatler commissions British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor to honour the Princess of Wales for its third annual cover portrait". Tatler. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Painting Our Past: The African Diaspora in England". English Heritage. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ a b Brown, Mark (2020-10-06). "New portrait of Queen Victoria's African goddaughter unveiled". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ a b "Sarah Forbes Bonetta: Portrait of Queen Victoria's goddaughter on show". BBC. 2020-10-07. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Jones, Sarah (2020-10-07). "English Heritage unveils portrait of Queen Victoria's African goddaughter to mark Black History Month". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Bohannon, Molly. "New Kate Middleton Portrait Released—But Some Think It Doesn't Look Like Her". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Khomami, Nadia (2024-05-22). "Cover story: Tatler unveils new portrait of Princess of Wales". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-05-22.