A print depicting a Birmingham living room is to be the first of a series of government commissions which will be sent to embassies and diplomatic residences across the world.
The new artwork by Hurvin Anderson, a British artist shortlisted for the Turner Prize, has been selected by the 10-year long scheme, the TenTen Commission, which has been organised by the Government Art Collection.
The scheme, backed by a £500,000 donation from philanthropists Sybil Robson Orr, a film producer and niece of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and her husband Matthew Orr, a City financier, aims to showcase British contemporary culture and promote UK art overseas.
The initiative will see a British artist produce a limited edition print of an original piece of art every year for the next decade.
The wallpaper and fabric design in Anderson’s print Still Life with Artificial Flowers drew inspiration from the front room of Anderson’s mother’s home.
As the first TenTen Commission, fifteen prints will be framed and displayed in British embassies and residences worldwide.
His work often reflects his childhood memories of living in Birmingham’s African-Caribbean community. He uses art to explore dual identity and his experience of being the only child of eight siblings not to be born in Jamaica.
Last year he became one of the first artists aged over 50 to be nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize, after age restrictions on entries were lifted.
His Turner Prize-listed collection featured a painting of a barber shop wall that featured the images of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.
Michael Ellis MP, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: “Art and culture is one of our great calling cards to the world. I am delighted that Hurvin Anderson will be the first of ten artists to take part in this exciting initiative that will support the Government Art Collection’s role in promoting British art on the global stage.”
Candida Gertler OBE, director and co-Founder of the Outset Contemporary Art Fund, said the initiative was the result of a “fruitful private/public partnership” that will build a legacy for the future.
She added: “We are going to see a remarkable body of work in 2028, reflecting how the UK navigated these 10 years. We couldn’t be more delighted to be here at the very outset of this significant partnership.”