Eddie Chambers

Who is Eddie Chambers?

Eddie Chambers is a British artist, writer, curator and academic.

While still a student at Sunderland Polytechnic, where he was studying for a Fine Art degree, Chambers met Trent Polytechnic student, Keith Piper. Alongside Marlene Smith, and Donald Rodney, they formed the BLK Art Group, a groundbreaking association of Black British art students. The group's highly politicised work, including Chambers' Destruction of the National Front attracted press attention and critical interest. After leaving the group, Chambers went on to curate many exhibitions in the UK and internationally, including Black People and the British Flag, Eugene Palmer, Frank Bowling: Bowling on through the Century and Tam Joseph: This is History. Chambers has also written numerous catalogue essays, anthology entries, articles and books about art and artists, particularly Black British artists.

In 1998 he was awarded a PhD in History of Art from Goldsmiths College, University of London, for his thesis "Black Visual Arts Activity in England Between 1981–1986: Press and Public Responses".

In 1989 Chambers set up the African and Asian Visual Artists' Archive, which was the first research and reference facility in the country for documenting British-based Black visual artists.