Barbara Walker - ‘It’s like life itself, like the air I breathe’ | Tate 

"In all the time that I create these drawings, I know they're temporary. So in a way I'm already saying goodbye when I begin the first mark." Such a beautiful way to describe a feeling.

Free hand traditional art in that scale is crazy. Absolutely love it.

Such a heinous racist crime committed against Black Caribbeans who help to rebuild their country, and so powerful that the art was done of proof of citizenship letters, even though they were already citizens and ALlL Caribbean countries were part of the British empire after world war 2.

There's a lot to unpack in this 7 minutes clip. She's truly talented!

Wonderful artist. Her intelligence and compassion shines through her work.

huge huge heart and vulnerablilty in her pieces. Wow

There are so many poignant quotes in this message. The one that resonates with me the most as an artist is “when I’m working, it’s like the air I breathe. I’t like life itself.” Wow! How beautifully stated. I thought I was the only one. Thanks for sharing! Phenomenal artist- just amazing! Also, in the way she spoke so clearly about her work, providing a direct and potent connection with the me the viewer.

Wow! Powerful statement on so many levels. Love her artwork, blown away from the scale on which she works. She is so articulate about her mission, their stories, the motive behind these portraits. Amazing woman. I could sit and listen to her, watch her work for hours. I hope she is successful to raise awareness for these people.

This made me feel like doing gesture drawing! I love her work. It truly is inspiring in a lot of ways.

She is a name for the ages and I just saw this video and I love her work

Wow. Barbara Walkers work is incredible. I love how she interprets erasure and her style of portraiture. Very powerful, vulnerable and meaningful.

Stunningly beautiful work Ms. Walker, thank you for elevating the people, and their cause through drawing. Drawing, where it all begins, direct, to the point, and beautiful line.👍🏼💯

The power of memory ! With the power of drawing its an équation ! You art IS immortel madame ! Many soul live again inside 🔥🖤🙏🏾

she is a treasure, amazing.

❤ Barbara Walker is TRULY amazing as always!!! Thanks for sharing.

Wow! That was powerful. Just wow

Gorgeous work. So full of meaning and power.

woah. powerful work, well spoken, immense vitality. I'm moved

Beautiful work of Barbara’s . They are amazing in there size alone! So inspiring.

Gosh I love it all. I love how natural they are.

Her voice helped me open up. I saw my past life in GB but to your probable distaste it is as a melanated noblewoman with a red haired lover living our idyllic life in the woods. It's so clear. Like movie scenes... moments w smells and sounds of the different grasses. How the light changed his skin tone at different times of day. I do love Paul so. I truly understand Mona Lisa's smile. We are gracious to you all. Back Together Again!

Her words and art really touched my soul ❤

she is a gift to humankind

Amazingly talented artist. ❤️👌🏽

Very talented and skilled artist! Explaining art is an impossible challenge...one of the many mysteries of the human existence.

Wow. Beautiful work. Thank you Ms Walker.

Thoughtful and empathetic and sympathetic...

I'm very impressed by this video. For me, a new way to look at this issue.

She’s awesome.

God Bless you Barbara Walker, always and forever. Absolutely stunning, the message, the pieces, you, your voice. Thank you for your work, for conveying such deep meaning, feeling, and dedication. You are an inspiration, thank you for being here. I am so happy this video showed up in my life, showing me there are rooms where such nuanced conversations exist. I am so grateful. 🙏

STUNNING work. Art is definitely your calling.❤️🌹

Simply beautiful.

Amazing talent 👏 so beautiful ❤

Brilliant artwork, and with an important point to make

This is pure love❤ thab k you

So beautiful

Oh wow I love your style, you have a beautiful eye

THIS is what God given talent looks like. Absolutely stunning work.

Wow! Incredible work! 😍😍😍

Beautiful!

I absolutely love this. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

What an extraordinary artist. Is there anyway to see her work outside of the UK ? Paris maybe ?

Stunning. Important. ✊

Thank you.

Wow. Love them.

You do Beautiful Work!!

awesome ❤❤❤❤❤

So cool. Amazing

Brilliant work!

Love!!

To Reflect!

I envy all the artist as I can't draw a straight line without a ruler.

I love her work

Wonderful Work. Brilliant concepts!!

at last, someone who can actually draw

POWERFUL STUNNING BEAUTIFUL THANKS YOU GOODNESS 🌟 DAPHNE COTTON ALWAYS 💜 AWESOME

Beautiful work

Shoooooww 🎉❤

❤❤❤

genius,

Thank you so much. It just goes to show you how art can educate people. As someone from the USA, I had never heard of the Windrush scandal. So I researched it and learned how a group of people where exploited for their labor and then Generations later abuse, deported and denied basic human rights and dignity. Not to mention thanks for what they did to save the British economy. Shame Britain, your prejudice was on full display.

impressive!

this is beyond insanity, unbelievable skills.

Omg you not playing.... The technique itself is difficult.

I hop she does with colour paints as well 😊🤗 if you colour paint that drawing that will so Dope and cool 😎

Ok how so how do I schedule an appointment for one of these?

🙏🏾✌🏾🐜

🔥 fye

EXCELLENT!!!!

Speache less😢, hats off Barbara.

But arn't these simply nice drawings of people from photographs? I dont see how everything she says is represented in the drawings. And copying a photo isn't really exploring black bodies?

Very conventional drawing except the size.

Again this pops up, and again I comment. Art is my life's work and I make truly countless drawings. And yet I see little purpose in the drawings we see here. They appear to be rather mundane or "standard" portrait illustrations, which distinguishes them from "fine art". Normally I would encourage anyone to draw and paint. But here, I see ego at work, not artistic talent. Why ego? Because these gigantic oversized drawings are extremely large for no good artistic reason. When I see that, I know it is more about the ego of the artist, as if to demand accolades by virtue of sheer size. That doesn't pass muster in my book.

Black month, is if? 'Community' artists with a 'community' message aren't worth a light. And the Tate, where a pile of manure on a plinth is art, is hardly the place to show artistic credentials.

Best if artists don't speak. Mostly what they say is gobbledegook.

As an artist, I find here an overabundance of talking, and a paucity of artistic creativity. Additionally, I question whether the total focus on a "cause" (like racial identity) hinders the supposed purpose of making good art.

Beautiful, sensitive, compassionate work. What an artist, what a person.

So beautiful

Holy moly. This is phenomenal! What talent ❤

Barbara Walker's work is magnificent. You can always tell when there's a profound thought process behind a work of art, or in fine design.

Barbara Walker's art resonates with me on a personal level, particularly as someone whose grandparents were of the Windrush generation.

This woman had made something new I can’t put my finger on it but I love it

It’s sad our society only rewards talentlessness and mediocrities. She’s a living legend.

A master of her craft. Absolutely amazing

Wow! Her pieces are beautiful and sensible, with a strong meaning over the value in us and how it fades for some people. Super inspirational.

Barbara was a lovely friend. She was always very committed to her work, her integrity shines through in all she does. Sending love and admiration for all she has achieved and for continuing to speak out for justice and humanity through her work.

THIS WORK IS AMAZING. Speechless, that's all I can say. Thank you. 💙

A very beautiful person doing beautiful art! I draw too! I was intrigued by that huge pencil! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾❤️

This is beautiful real life story telling! 💜

So powerful and sensitive. I am so thankful for Barbara Walker's amazing work.

Simply beautiful. Thank you for your work

I would love to walk into her studio and just look

The history of their mistreatment shows on their portraits. Excellent.

Gorgeous work

Incredible personality- outstanding works of art!

You are an amazing artist! Your art is moving and so are you!

So inspirational, a real push. Thank you, Ms. Walker and Tate!

I love the ephemeral material she uses for these pieces. It's so poignant for her message.

Such significant work, yet only there so temporarily. It's like building a masterpiece sand castle.

Thank you Ms Walker for highlighted the plight of the Windrush generation. I know so many people who have been caught up in this and it's so sad and unfair!