Leading UK artist and UAL Professor of Black Art and Design Sonia Boyce leads the UAL names honoured in the 2019 New Year's Honours list. Sonia was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to art. Sonia already holds an MBE (Member of the British Empire), awarded in 2007 as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Sonia's research interests lie in art as a social practice and the critical and contextual debates that arise from this burgeoning field. Sonia recently completed the three-year UAL and Middlesex University ‘Black Artists and Modernism’ research project, which culminated with the BBC Four documentary ‘Whoever Heard of A Black Artist?’ earlier this year.
Sonia is currently working with local communities in Newham in London's East End to create a 1.8km wall mural as part of the Crossrail development, reflecting stories from the area.
UAL Vice-Chancellor Nigel Carrington:
Sonia is one of the preeminent figures in her field and it is right that she is recognised in this way. Sonia’s work is prized within the canon of contemporary British art and pivotal to progressing how we understand art today.
Sonia is joined on the Honours List by UAL Honorary Fellow and alumnus Yinka Shonibare MBE and Chelsea College of Arts, UAL alumna Gillian Wearing, who both received a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to art; and Central Saint Martins UAL alumna, set and production designer Bunny Christie who received an OBE in recognition of her services to theatre.