top of page

About

Christopher Samuel is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice is rooted in identity and disability politics.
Often echoing the many facets of his own lived experience as a Black disabled man, his work tells stories, highlighting the often unseen experiences of his day to day life and those of others in similar circumstances. 
His practice includes small detailed ink drawings, film, print, audio, research, and large installations.

Samuel works alongside galleries, museums, archives and other institutions to address missing representation in our cultural spaces.

Photo of Christopher Samuel a black man sitting in his wheelchair in a studio wearing blue apron
​​​​​​​UPCOMING

2025 - 20/20 Futures Exhibition, Stratford, UK

​
CURRENT

2025/6 Watch Us Lead - 20/20 UAL: Decolonising the Arts Institute, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2025 Towards New Worlds - Disability Arts Online, online

​
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS ​

2025/6   Watch Us Lead - 20/20 UAL: Decolonising the Arts Institute, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK

2023   The Archive of an Unseen - Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester, UK

2018   Housing Crisis - Attenborough Arts Centre ​

2016   Our Family  - BBC Leicester, 9 St Nicholas Place​

​​
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS​

​2025   Towards New Worlds - Disability Arts Online, online

2025   The Archive of an Unseen - Royal Society, London, UK

2024   Sing The Body Electric: Collection 2  - Undershed, Bristol, UK

2024   NAE Open 2024 - New Art Exchange, Nottingham, UK

2024   A Tale of 2 Lives - Nottingham Castle, Nottingham, UK

2023/24   Towards New Worlds - MIMA, Middlesbrough, UK ​

2023   MANIFEST / Policy Lab - Bloc Projects, Sheffield, UK

2023   The Archive of an Unseen - Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester, UK

2023   MANIFEST / Policy Lab - Makeversity @ Somerset House, London, UK

2023   The Waiting Room - Object Memory, Phoenix, Leicester, UK

2022   You’re Not as Tall As You Look on Instagram - RADAR, University of Loughborough, Olympic Park, London, UK

2022   The Archive of an Unseen - Wellcome Collection, London, UK​

2021   Swinging In The Wind - Sex With Cancer Online

2021   The Cared For Network -  Careful Networks Online
​2021   Swinging in the Wind - The Gallery, DeMontford University Leicester, UK
​2021 / 2022    What You Do Not See - Hounslow Library, London, UK
​2020   Visions in the Nunnery - Visions 
2020   Bow Arts, London UK
​2020   The Future is Loading - Shape Open 2020, Online 
​2019   THE IDLE INDEX - Phoenix Leicester Arts Centre/The Gallery - De Montfort University/Attenborough Arts Centre​
2017   LoveArt - New Walk Museum and Art Gallery
2017   Emancipation?  - Attenborough Arts Centre
2016   Outside In National: Radical Craft  - Alternative Ways of Making
​2013   Impact Art Fair. Block 336, Brixton, London
​2013   Outside In: Central  - Compton Verney Art Gallery
​2013   N22OPENSTUDIOS - The Chocolate Factory, Clarendon Road, London
​2012-13 Outside In: National -  Pallant House Gallery, Chichester​
2012   Shape Open -  Portobello Gallery 6 Thorpe Close London​
2012   Tight Modern - Touring 
​​​​
SELECTED COMMISSIONS​
2023/2026  Watch Us Lead - 20/20 UAL: Decolonising the Arts Institute, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2023   Everywhere and Nowhere - National Trust, Research Centre for Museums and Galleries, and University of Leicester, UK
​2020   The Full Light of Day - VAE Raleigh, North Carolina, USA 
​2019   THE IDLE INDEX - Phoenix Leicester Arts Centre/The Gallery - De Montfort University/Attenborough Arts Centre
2018-19   AB&B COMMISSION - Welcome Inn - , AB&B - Blackpool, UK
​2019   DMU Mentor Awards, De Montfort University
​2014   The Lodge Hotel - Hereward College
​
RESIDENCIES
20/20 UAL: Decolonising the Arts Institute, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2024 Arthouse Print Residency, The Arthouse, Wakefield, UK
​
TALKS / LECTURES / CONFERENCES​

2025   Neurodiversity, Disability and the Artworld Today - Panel Discussion / Manchester International Festival 2025, Manchester

2025   Royal Society: Disability Technology Report Launch Event

2025   Accessible Design Talks:  Accessible luxury: making sense of inclusive design 

2025   SSC: DIsability and the Arts - Artist Talk / Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2025   Different - Community Project Public Event / Birmingham City University, Birmingham

2025   NSEAD National Art and Design Education Conference 2025: Designing a learner-centred & contemporary curriculum - Keynote Speaker / Online

2025   Disability Arts Online: Towards New Worlds - In Conversation / Online

2025   Archiving the Unseen - Artist Talk / MAIA Weekender, Birmingham

2025   Opal 22: All Shades of Brown Creative Conference - Panel Discussion / Birmingham

2024   Global Leadership Exchange - Artists Talk / London

2024   Birmingham Community Researchers Seminar - Artist Talk / Birmingham

2024   Reducing Disability Inequalities Summit: Christopher Samuel: In Search of Autonomy - Artist Talk /  / Birmingham

2024   Fireside Chats - Artist Talk / Podcast

2024   Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art: Hearing From Artists: Towards New Worlds - Artist Talk / Online

2024   SHIFT Curator Tour - Curator Tour / Nottingham Castle

2024   SSC: DIsability and the Arts - Artist Talk / Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2024   MacIntyre Academies Staff Conference 2024 - Artist Talk & Workshop / Coventry

2024   The Human Library - Talk / Birmingham Disability Festival

2024   Visual Arts South West: In Practice, Disability Representation in the Visual Arts  - Artist Talk / Online

2024   Assembly the Black Country: Black Box: From Out of the Back Room Into the Light - A-N Teach In / Online

2024   DAC: Cwrdd Meeting - Only if you're comfortable: Vivian Rhule in conversation with artist Christopher Samuel  - In Conversation / Online

2023   SSC: DIsability and the Arts - Artist Talk / Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

2023   Referentiality: Towards a Decentered Future: Research Seminar / Museum of History of Architecture, University College London

2023   National Trust: Curatorial Masterclass - Talk & Workshop / Online

2023   Quality Dis/Abled Seminar - Artist Talk / British Art Network / Online

2023   Never Enough Time: iJADE Conference 2023 - Keynote Speaker / Online

2023   Workability: National Trust Conference: Panel Discussion / Cheshire

2023   Everywhere and Nowhere Seminar - Seminar / School of Museums Studies, University of Leicester

2023   Museums & Heritage Conference - Panel Discussion with RCMG / Gateshead

2023   Towards a Decentered Future: MoHoA AHRC Research Networking Event - In Conversation with Nana Ocran / Museum of History of Architecture UCL, London

2023  Unseen: Archiving the Hidden Black Disabled Experience: In Conversation / Wellcome Collection London and Online
2023  Object Memory: Artist Talk / Phoenix Leicester
2023  Open College of the Arts & The Human LIbrary: Artist Talk  / Online​​
2022  Unlimited Festival 2022: Artist Talk / Southbank Centre, London
2022  TATE MODERN LATES: Art Chats with Senior Creative Producer, Liat Rosenthal
2022   DANC Hybrid Networking event @ HOME Manchester
2022   Attenborough Art Centre: Artist talk​​

2021   DANC Jennifer Gilbert / Disabled Artists Networking Community / Plus Tate Network​

2021   Exploring Research: Nothing About Us Without Us, The Wellcome Collection

2021   Cities: The City in British Art Working Class British Arts Network

2021   Museums on Prescription National Portrait Gallery / Tate Online

2021   A Conversation on Sex with Cancer Sex With Cancer / Battersea Arts Centre

2021  The Creative Manifesto Assembly / University of the Arts London

2021   Artist’s Talk What You Do Not See / Hounslow Library

2021​   Critical and Creative Approaches to Disability / Illinois State University​​

2020   Diversity in Architecture Loughborough University - Lu-arc Summer Discussion Series

​​

SELECTED PRESS & MEDIA​
2020   A Sleepless night, Enable magazine - January/February  ​
2019   Welcome Inn , Ian Youngs, BBC​
2019   Welcome to the Welcome Inn, Jo Verrent, We Are Unlimited​
2019   Blackpool's new Art B&B, Front Row, BBC Radio
2019   Accessibility issues with awkward, uncomfortable and vexing hotel room, Emma Lake, THE CATERER
2019   Room for improvement! World's most annoying hotel, Terri - Ann Williams, DailyMail ONLINE
2019   Accessible Housing? The Art Of Experiencing Life In An Unliveable Living Room, By Staff, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACTION
2019   A hotel room that’s uncomfortable on purpose, Carol Hills, “THE WORLD,” FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE, WGBH, PRI, AND PRX
2019   Confronting Discomfort: VAE Exhibit Reframes Disability,  Colony Little - WALTER magazine
2019.  Art B&B in Blackpool features a misshapen room to give guests an insight into the difficulty disabled people face, Dan Coles - Mirror
​
EDUCATION
2014-17 BA (Hons) Fine Art, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK​
2013-14 BTEC Art and Design, Hereward College, Coventry, UK

Christopher Samuel 2024

  • Instagram
bottom of page