Ben Uri Research Unit

for the study and digital recording of the Jewish, Refugee and wide Immigrant contribution to British visual culture since 1900.

The strategic objective of the Ben Uri Research Unit is to be the pre-eminent academic, and social history research resource on this increasingly recognised and important feature of British 20th and 21st century art history.

The Research Unit portal grows organically, by merger, and by hosting partner links to offer the widest and most authoritative reference profiles across the Jewish, Refugee, and Immigrant contribution to British visual culture from 1900 to today.

Currently over 3000 profiles are published with another 1000 under review and research. Some 1,000 profiles, principally European, completed and published on Buru.org.uk and over 2000 profiles, principally reflecting the black and Asian contribution are published on Diaspora-artists.net which was built by Professor Eddie Chambers and recently absorbed into the Research Unit. Further extensions of reach will be announced in due course. Within our expansive coverage we have a particular focus on the 1933-1945 period and the forced journeys of ‘Hitler Emigres’ and their seminal contribution.

Search and find?

There are numerous ways you can search, and research, individual profiles, or groups by different contexts, who have made significant contributions to British visual culture since 1900 - from over 100 countries to date.

We separate individual searches (on this page) from group categories (on next page) and if the subject listed is highlighted then you need only click through to reach the completed and published Ben Uri Research Unit’s profile. If not highlighted it means the individual is still under research.

How and what to search?

On this page below, you can only search for individuals and only by Surname. For groups by profession / date range / cities / countries of birth / and more please search here.

You have 2 options:

By the Surname in full - not the first name - to generate a complete list of individuals with that surname to select from.

By selecting the first letter of the Surname (from schedule A to Z) to generate a complete list of options to review and select from.

When you have identified and selected your search it will show as a link and take you to the profile if published. If still under research, it will show only as a name but with no link until published.

We welcome any additional information on any of the current figures profiled or suggested candidates for consideration and ask you to share with our Research Team through the Contact Us page.

For all questions of Copyright and Creative Common Licence please refer to the Legal Notice page on both Buru.org.uk and Diaspora-artists.net.

Start your Search below for individuals by Surname. (Search here here for groups by context including profession, date range, cities or countries of birth and more).

Insert Only full surname