Liz Johnson Artur: 20 Years in Sketchbooks
The London artist revisits the last two decades in celebration of Frieze’s 20th anniversary, with a specially commissioned new poem from James Massiah
The London artist revisits the last two decades in celebration of Frieze’s 20th anniversary, with a specially commissioned new poem from James Massiah
Surprise the party
Got them
Shocking out
Compromised nothing
Planned it
Made it
So
Flash like so
Boom like so
Bang like so
So
Where you ah guh
How you ah move suh
Who you ah deal wid
Come like so
Surprised me
With the lighter
Never knew you smoked
Choked
Laughed
Shocking out
Involuntary reactions
Listening to Freud
Dancing to Fred Locks
We ain't dead yet
But will soon
So
Surprise the party
Disappear
With two in tow
You and I
So
To and fro
One day though
Surprise the party
Come
Skank
Pon
Your
Toe
Shocking out
Never knew you done it so
Not so-so
More like suh
Suh
Suh
Suh
— James Massiah
Liz Johnson Artur, Miss Jason, London, 2020. Courtesy: the artist
Liz Johnson Artur, Carnival, 1993. Courtesy: the artist
Liz Johnson Artur, Max’s party, London, 2021. Courtesy: the artist
Liz Johnson Artur, Stella’s friend, London, 1995. Courtesy: the artist
Liz Johnson Artur, PDA, London, 2018. Courtesy: the artist
This article first appeared in Frieze Week, London 2023 under the headline 'Flash Like So'
Main image: Liz Johnson Artur, Stella’s friend, London, 1995. Courtesy: the artist
