Artist Larry Achiampong has spoken out after his work, which replaced a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II in the Foreign Office, sparked a media storm. The British-Ghanaian artist said the coverage was “deeply problematic” and linked to anti-immigrant sentiment.
The controversy began when reports emerged that Foreign Secretary David Lammy had chosen to hang Achiampong’s piece, along with works by Lubaina Himid and Yinka Shonibare, in place of a David Bailey portrait of the Queen. The Daily Mail reported the move as “David Lammy’s Foreign Office ‘removed portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in favour of pan-African flags’”.
Achiampong’s work, Pan African Flag for the Relic Travellers’ Alliance (Motion), is a large design in green, yellow and red with 54 black stars representing African nations. The artist told the Guardian: “The fuss over the fact that the queen’s image has been replaced with pan-African colours speaks to this narrative of ‘immigrants are here, they’re coming over, they’re taking over everything’.”
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson called Lammy “spineless”, claiming he is “forever criticising our history”. However, Achiampong noted that the artworks come from the government art collection, and it is routine for new governments to change the pieces on display. He added that he, Himid and Shonibare are “celebrated and awarded artists that have done incredible things with our work”.
The artist said his piece, commissioned with Arts Council England support, aims to make people think about nationalism. “If that pisses people off, then, in a way, the job’s being done,” he said. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport declined to comment, but it is understood the Bailey portrait remains in the government art collection.
