By Sehr Sarwar
If you keep up to date with the goings on at the Arab British Centre, you may have read about our newly launched ABC Gallery in our premises, tucked away on Gough Square. Who would’ve thought, right next door to Doctor Johnson’s house off Fleet Street, that a treasure trove of inspirational images from the Arab world would be on display? This new initiative, in partnership with our neighbours up at Offscreen, will host a series of exhibitions to promote artists, photographers and filmmakers from, working in, or inspired by the Arab world.
The first show to feature at our newly launched gallery space is titled “Bridging the Gap – New Visions from Al Cham” and is presented by “Refocus” in collaboration with Offscreen and Unicef. Refocus is a new participatory photography NGO and have put together an innovative exhibition of images taken by Iraqi, Palestinian and Syrian youth depicting their personal thoughts, identity and integration.
The works displayed are the results of 6 weeks worth of photography workshops with 24 young people from Palestine, Syria and Iraq, led by 2 trainers. The powerful images feature shots taken by the children that depict their hopes, dreams, favourite foods and loved ones but overall give the viewer a real feel for the child’s day-to-day lifestyle. Each mounted photograph had a small description by the photographer, with a simple explanation by the child about why this photo meant so much to them. It was these short captions that really made the exhibition so personal. Accompanying the photos are scrapbooks put together by each child who participated in the project and also calendars available with selected images. A poignant presentation featuring footage from the workshops plays in the background and introduces you to each participating child one by one as well as featuring information on the serious issue of Iraqi refugees in Syria.
The main themes touched upon through the photos are identity, gender equality, rights and integration. The thought that art truly does transcend all borders is what I took away with me from this exhibition. It was wonderful to see that these 24 children were given the opportunity to express themselves and their lives through photography, with such professional results.
The exhibition runs up until March 3rd, 2010 but will be replaced by an exciting new show soon after. Click here for more information.
The Arab British Centre are also inviting applications for exhibitions. Please contact us on 02078321310 or info@arabbritishcentre.org.uk for more information or an application form. The deadline for submission of applications is Friday 19 March 2010