Artist Sir Frank Bowling to receive knighthood at age of 87

Artist Sir Frank Bowling will be knighted at the age of 87 in a ceremony at Windsor Castle later.

The octogenarian, born in what was then British Guiana, is known for his large-scale abstract canvases.

The painter, who is recognised for services to art, is expected to be knighted by the Prince of Wales.

Speaking in October 2020, Sir Frank said he was “extremely proud” of the honour.

In 2019, Tate Britain held a major retrospective of his work, subtitled The Possibilities Of Paint Are Never-Ending.

After completing his National Service in the Royal Air Force, Sir Frank won a scholarship to London’s Royal College of Art in 1959.

His early paintings embedded layers of autobiography in abstraction, incorporating silkscreen images of his home and family members in Guyana.

In 2005, he became the first black artist to be elected a Royal Academician.

Meanwhile, cultural activist Ansel Wong will collect a CBE medal for services to arts and culture, while chefs Margot and Fergus Henderson will collect OBEs for services to the culinary arts.