Catherine Chambers is a London based artist with strong ties to Ethiopia. Her work is inspired by the environment around her, interpreting the nature of our being, our connection with our ancestry and our attitudes to others familiar and unfamiliar. Catherine's amazing piece 'Lying' came third in the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award this year and we were delighted to speak to her about her unique practice. Enjoy!
Lying, Oil on Canvas
Firstly, massive congratulations on placing third in the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award! Can you tell us about the piece you submitted for the award and what it represents?
Thank you!
The portrait is one of many Ethiopian friends from Lalibela. He is of a generation who have experienced the consequences of his country’s recent turbulent history. He is aware of and enthusiastic about, through modern media and visitors, the world beyond a historically insular Ethiopia.
The scene shows him at ease in his environment and reflects some of his passionate interests (he was once goalkeeper for his local football team and is an avid supporter of Arsenal). Football is a recurring theme in my work; I think it can easily be likened to religions; it unites and divides people, I am fascinated in people’s absolute loyalty, the wealth of football, and how as a British person abroad it is always a positive conversation starter (despite my inability to contribute much to the conversation as I know very little about specific teams!)
In “Lying”, as the sitter sleeps, he is alone with his dreams… there is a vulnerability to it. The football shirt he wears boldly advertises “Fly Emirates” which was something out for reach for my friend at the time. Our friendship highlighted the stark differences in opportunities and freedoms available to us. I find it a cruel irony, that someone so devoted to a British football team, who wears their shirt so proudly, is walking around with an advertisement unfairly unrealistic for them.
Fly, Oil on Canvas
Your work often explores themes of identity, ancestry, and our connection to others. How do your personal ties to both London and Ethiopia influence these themes in your art?
Anywhere I spend notable time influences me.
Spending several years back and forth from Ethiopia has undoubtably had a great impact. I am interested in identity, what makes us unique and that at the same time, we are all the same and on repeat. My main interest, or conclusion that I always circle round to, is that foreignness and boundaries are artificial; they are man-made.
In recent years working back and forth from the Middle East has influenced me and is impacting new works. But it isn’t one thing (or place), then the next thing – they build upon each other, I carry it all with me, and reflect and compare.
Holding Space, Oil on Canvas
I'm Mengesha, Oil on Canvas
In your oil portraits, you often paint close friends or people you admire. How do you approach capturing their essence, and how do these personal connections shape the final piece?
Paintings are created in my mind a lot quicker than I physically paint! So, most of the people I paint have been sitting with me for a long while before they reach a canvas. Generally, my works are a tangle of me as much as them. It is due to our close connections that I am able to capture their essence.
My paintings are bright and usually appear positive, however there are often underlying struggles or challenges being faced that cause my admiration, and so the paintings are often me paying respect. The care I have for the people perhaps transcends into care in the painting, maybe that’s the way I capture their essence? (I’m thinking aloud now…)
Your work challenges people's preconceived notions of place and identity, especially in your portraits set in Ethiopia. How do you hope viewers will respond to these cultural intersections in your work?
Because my works are often of elsewhere, they naturally lend themselves to challenging preconceptions.
It can be prejudice, ignorance, but often it’s just curiosity. Usually, it says more about them than the subject. I find that a viewer commenting on a painting of someone, usually creates a presentation of themselves. I find this interesting, and feeds future works.
There’s often intrigue at the visual differences between myself and the people in my paintings. Interestingly so, this comes from people outside of Ethiopia rather than those I meet in or from Ethiopia. The same intrigue hasn’t been apparent when I paint a person from Saudi Arabia for example.
I have a great Ethiopian following (locally in London, but just as much so in Ethiopia), which I am absolutely grateful for. I do shy away from being described as “painting Ethiopia” as this has never been my intention and the fact that so many of my paintings involve people from there is because of the bond we’ve formed and I truly appreciate the support I receive from the Ethiopian community.
Interpretation seems crucial in your art, as you mention the diverse reactions from your audience. How do you balance your intent as the artist with the varying perspectives of your viewers?
All people paint pictures of people in their heads. Often just from scanning someone visually, we begin to gather clues, but draw conclusions based on our own bias. I find it amusing to see what assumptions appear and I’m curious about people so it all feeds back into my work.
I don’t particularly want to feed anything to the viewer, more simply share how I paint pictures of people. My work records my own “workings out” about life, they could be diary entries! In relation to an audience, I aim to stimulate discussion rather than deliver conclusions.
B
eyond your personal experiences and cultural heritage, what other artists, cultures, or historical periods inspire your work?
The list of artists I look to is huge and being based in London feeds this endlessly, but there are a couple that notably influence my work.
Bhupen Khakar – I first saw his paintings at his retrospective at the Tate Modern which is now an all-time favourite exhibition of mine. The strong colours, the story telling, the humour, scenes of everyday life that feel living. His work really excites me.
William Hogarth “modern moral series” – I LOVE satire, in fact, my series “A Brothers Progress” was kind of a meeting of Hogarth and Bhupen! Hogarth gave me “A Rake’s Progress” which is the frame for mine, Khakar gave me the composition.
Artist friends, particularly Ephrem Solomon and Odur Ronald really motivate me, and certainly inspire me through our conversations and mutual interest in each other’s work.
Stories are another source of inspiration, from fables and tales told universally but adapted to local environments, to classics from Charles Dickens – anything that tells of people’s character.
Hama Tuma is a big inspiration to me; he is a political exile and writer from Ethiopia. His short stories are brilliant, and I think his writing is very important. I share his books whenever possible and I’ve had friends hand them back for being “too gruesome”. But the fact is that they are as he witnessed it, many of us can close a book that is too uncomfortable, but many others have no choice but to face these stories in real life. I really particularly recommend his book “The case of the criminal walk and other stories”. I am half way through a painting of Hama Tuma, just waiting for him to visit again and sit for me!
I am currently reading Arundhuti Roy (again) her stories really stay with me and I feel will be a future influence on my paintings.
Could you tell us about your go-to materials you use in your work?
I predominantly work using oils on canvas and generally Cass Art is my first point of call for materials! I use a range of oil paints, but Michael Harding oils are my favourite! I’ve switched from Turps to “Zest It” products which work great.
My work is all custom framed using natural woods, which are stained to match the warmth of each painting.
Lastly, thanks so much for taking the time to speak to us about your practice, could you tell us about what our audience can look out for from you in the next while in terms of upcoming exhibitions and/or projects?
I have a painting currently being exhibited at the Roundhouse in Camden, as a Women in Art prize finalist.
Earlier in the year, the Royal Society of British artists selected me as a 2024 Rising Star, I became runner up for their Rome Scholarship award and subsequently have been invited to exhibit with the Society at the Mall Galleries early 2025. I have also been approached by a gallery in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and we are currently making plans for a solo show together. It’s an honour to be invited to do, and I want to consider what I can bring there, after bringing so much from there here.
Be sure to follow Catherine on Instagram @cchambersart and check more of her amazing work on her website catherinechambers.co.uk/
Top image : He didn't think about his future
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