 Piper first came to public attention when, in 1982, while still a student, he joined Eddie Chambers, the late Donald Rodney and Marlene Smith in what came to be known as the BLK Art Group.Their politically forthright exhibition "The Pan-Afrikan Connection" garnered media attention as it toured to Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham; King Street Gallery in Bristol; and The Africa Centre in London.In 1983-84 a second touring exhibition, "The BLK Art Group", was held at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry, Battersea Arts Centre in London and, again, the Africa Centre.