Devotional, 2004, 2004, Print and Photography

Medium
Screenprint on laminated paper, mounted on aluminium
Dimensions
239cm h x 60.4cm w
Devotional,2004. Screenprint on laminated paper, mounted on aluminium. 239cm h x 60.4cm w. © Crown Copyright: UK Government Art Collection

A multi-coloured list of names and dates appear totem-like in Devotional, a print by Sonia Boyce. Boyce accumulated the names over several years from conversations with different people about their favourite black female singers. These range from the jazz singer Elizabeth Welch, presented at the top of the work in the pre-1960s section, to Yazz in the 1980s and Lisa Maffia in the 'noughties'. Listing them vertically 1 to 84, Boyce creates a colourful object, offering a different perspective of popular music. The interaction with other people in producing this piece is a crucial part of the working process for Boyce, who views her works as collaborations with members of the public.

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Courtesy of the Government Art Collection, UK.

Devotional series

Related theme: Sound / Singing

Related theme: Participatory / Collaboration

Related theme: Performance