Exhibition offers a gateway to India
An exhibition in Blackburn is set to offer locals the chance to experience Indian culture.
India’s Gateway, a photography exhibition taking place at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery, will explore the history of Gujarat and Mumbai and their links with Britain.
Featuring photographs by Tim Smith and an installation by Indian film-makers Amit Madheshiya and Shirley Abraham, the exhibition weaves history together with words and images to explore the lives and experiences of Gujarati communities today.
Stephanie Seville, art curator at the museum, explained that Tim Smith chose the venue because of the area’s heritage. She said: “Blackburn was chosen as the location to host the exhibition because of the large population of people in the town that are of south Asian heritage. After the war, thousands came over to Blackburn to work in the cotton industry.
“We also already have a South Asia gallery at the museum, which was the result of a project which includes photographs from the late 80s and early 90s, of places in Pakistan and India, so this exhibition is a modern view and brings it up to date.”
The event, which has been organised by Oriental Arts and is free to attend, will also offer families the opportunity to learn more and get involved with the exhibition. There will be workshops, including printing and photography masterclasses and history talks as well as activity days and a story corner with books to enjoy from all around the world.
The creator of the exhibition, Tim Smith, will also be hosting an evening to discuss in detail what inspired him to photograph what he did.
The museum are hoping that the exhibition attract a range of people from across the area. Stephanie said: “We are hoping that the public will find it very interesting. It is different to what we have done in recent years.
“The exhibition shows that we are open and interested in different cultures and backgrounds as we are bringing different parts of the world to Blackburn and what is taking place there rather than just focusing on what is happening in the local area.”
The exhibition takes place at the museum from Saturday February 18 until Saturday July 15 2017. The museum is open Wednesday – Saturday every week from 12pm until 4.45pm.
