Stina Fisher - Copyright Margaret Mitchell
This Separated Isle explores how concepts of ‘Britishness’ reveal an inclusive range of opinions and understandings about our national character. Based on the book Invisible Britain: This Separated Isle, the exhibition presents a diverse range of engaging photographic portraits of people from across the UK. Each portrait is accompanied with a poignant first person testimony that draws attention to each person’s story, placing them centre stage so that we can begin to understand their lives.
Curated by Paul Sng and featuring work by some of the UK’s leading photographers – Adeola Adeko, Alecsandra Dragoi, Alicia Bruce, Amara Eno, Andy Aitchison, Arpita Shah, Chris Leslie, Christine Lalla, Ciara Leeming, Faraz Pourreza-Jorshari, Fiona Yaron-Field, Gina Lundy, Ilisa Stack, Inès Elsa Dalal, Jim Mortram, Jenny Lewis, Joanne Coates, Kat Dlugosz, Kate Nolan, Kirsty Mackay, Kris Askey, Lisa Wormsley, Maisie Marshall, Marc Davenant, Margaret Mitchell, Marie Smith, Mario W. Ihieme, Mark Parham, Nicola Muirhead, Rhys Baker, Robert Law, Roland Ramanan, Sally Low and Yan Wang Preston.
Poet Benjamin Zephaniah says “We British folk are all over the place. We come from all over the place, we move all over the place, and our ideas are all over the place. Here are pictures and words, with a real sense of place.”
As the pandemic has made a seismic impact across the world, with rising levels of race hate crimes and cracks exposed by Brexit, what are the bitter divisions within British society? In the aftermath of Covid, and with questions over the breakup of the United Kingdom refusing to dissipate, how then do people across Britain choose to navigate the tensions in this divided land? The exhibition is a relevant examination of the relationship between identity and nationhood, and as such reveals not only what divides us, but also the ties that bind us together as a nation.
Paul Sng, curator says “I’m delighted to be working with Impressions Gallery to bring This Separated Isle to Bradford, a city where the stories and themes explored in the book will be both relevant and timely.”
Anne McNeill director of Impressions Gallery says “This Separated Isle is a significant and inclusive portrait of our times. These remarkable photographs record a record of our uncertain times and as such presents much needed perspective accounts on complexities of life in the UK today.”
Invisible Britain: This Separated Isle is produced by ffotogallery, Cardiff and Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow, curated by Paul Sng.