The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
untold. A story untold 8th July - 18th August
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art by Clare Wassermann The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
Foreward The end of British rule in India had a profound impact on the subcontinent, the politics that led up to Partition and Independence, with leaders such as Mountbatten, Nehru, Jinnah and Mahatma Ghandi were influential catalysts for the change and the tragic events that unfolded. The history between India and Britain stretches all the way back to the 1600’s, artists involved in the art exhibitions ‘UNTOLD’ have mostly responded to the years that lead up to the Partition and Independence, creating works from their individual perspectives and unique styles. August 14th 2017 and August 15th 2017 will not only be a time to celebrate Independence, but also a time for communities to reflect on the catastrophic events that led up to Independence, as India was divided into two nations. British India was partitioned into two independent nation states, India with a mainly Hindu majority and Pakistan with a mostly Muslim population. Cyril Radcliffe was responsible for dividing the vast territories of British India into India and Pakistan, separating 400 million people along religious lines. This resulted in the border between the two countries showing as a forced geographical line and civil war. The partition caused massive upheaval and the Indian government estimated that 15 million people were displaced during this appalling, heartbreaking affair. People moved to Pakistan from India, or travelled in the opposite direction from Pakistan to India. Over 15 million refugees were forced into regions completely new to them, it is estimated that around 1–2 million people died during the partition of British India. After 70 years India and Pakistan have still not healed from the wounds left by the partition of India.
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Exhibition locations and times Launch: Saturday 8th July 6-9pm. Monday 10th -13th July 4.30-6pm. Friday 14th July 10am-4pm Viner Gallery & Hutton Theatre, Wolverhampton Grammar School, Merridale Lane, Wolverhampton WV3 9RB Private view: Friday 11th August 6.30-9:00pm. Friday 11th -18th August 11- 5pm Newhampton Arts Centre, Dunkley St, Wolverhampton WV1 4AN Private view: Sunday 13th August 2-5pm. Friday 11th August – 11th September 11- 5pm (closed on Mondays) Bantock House Museum, Finchfield Rd, Wolverhampton WV3 9LQ Private view: Wednesday 16th August 6:30-9:00pm. Friday 11th-18th August 11– 4pm Temple Street Studio/gallery, 32a Temple St, Wolverhampton WV2 4AN Private view | Spoken Word: 18th August 6:30-9:00pm. Friday 11th -18th August 11am – 4pm Asylum Art Gallery, 21 Chapel Ash, Clifton St, Wolverhampton WV3 0TZ. Untold - The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India Design: Joshua Adam Grice Editors: Komlaish Achall We would like to thank all artists, sponsors and gallery spaces for their support and kindness.
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UNTOLD Art exhibition August 2017 will be 70 years since the Partition of India and the 70th Anniversary of Independence for India and Pakistan. Pakistan got Independence on the 14th of August 1947 and India on the 15th of August 1947. UNTOLD Art exhibitions have brought together a broad spectrum of artists from different art disciplines to mark this occasion including: Visual artists, photographers, painters, poets and sculptors. The exhibitions are the outcome of excellent work undertaken by local and regional artists who have come together to showcase their creative talents and bring communities into art spaces to celebrate diversity, across the city of Wolverhampton. Their experience and contribution to the project have brought together varied communities from around the city to enrich the exhibition. An appreciation goes out to the venue organisers who have opened up their facilities to enable the project to come to fruition: Temple Street studios is a contemporary art space, with its bare brick and rustic edge interior that naturally lends itself to present-day art that challenges conventional concepts.
Bantock House, restored to its Edwardian glory, is a hidden treasure set within 43 acres of parkland and surrounded by delightful formal gardens. Visit Bantock House Museum and explore the history of Wolverhampton and its people in the period settings of the former Bantock family home. Asylum Art Gallery is a converted warehouse that offers the art community a free space to showcase local artwork and music. A purely white space, it offers a unique viewing experience for contemporary art with no restrictions or boundaries. Newhampton Arts Centre, close to Molineux Stadium and West Park, is a vibrant hub for performing and visual arts in Wolverhampton, a creative venue that nurtures new talent, new ideas and features performers and artists from around the world. We mark this event in partnership with: Creative Black Country, Wolverhampton Artist Quarter, Newhampton Arts centre, University of Wolverhampton, Temple Street Studios, Wolverhampton Grammar school, Asylum Art gallery, Bantock House Museum, Love My City Wolverhampton and Creative Monday.
The Viner Gallery, located in the Arts & Drama Centre at Wolverhampton Grammar School offers a refreshing and vibrant space, encouraging artists to engage with numerous forms of creativity to stimulate public interest in contemporary visual arts. 5 The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
untitled (paper, print, etching) Size: 16.5” x 23.4”
Sanjay Kumur
“The perception and recognition of one’s character…?”
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We Choose Our Words Carefully (Acrylic on canvas) Size - 3ft x3ft
Anna Smith Colonisation: The action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area. Invasion: An instance of invading a country or region with armed force. There are many truths to same story and history is often written by the victors. Every story has an angle or bias and the words chosen are specific to its purpose.
Sometimes the stories are not told but are hidden away. As a white middle class British artist I struggled with making a piece for this exhibition. Do I hold some guilt for my Country’s actions? How responsible is each individual for the actions of the collective?
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Clare Wassermann clarewassermannart.com instagram.com/clare_wassermann_art I love the idea of layer upon layer in paint, memories and experience. Some paintings have ten or even twenty layers built up and most are in response to my meditation and yoga practice. All are a pure celebration of my external and internal landscape. Juxtaposition of edges and colour combinations excite me. My art has many of its roots in India, the mediation, yoga and spirituality; I have always been drawn to the colours. For this exhibition I felt I needed to express my belief in mankind to eventually find a way in which we can all live harmoniously without the need for religious divide and ownership of land. “The earth is for us to walk upon and care for in the tiny amount of time we have to spend here”
Ganesh 30” x 24”, Sat “30 x 40”, Living Free 30” x 40”, The Gift 30” x 40” (acrylic paint) Available for purchase
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Danielle Morris-Hughes
Audio Installation NAC: …they wanted a line…so I drew them a line, Audio at Bantock: Home Comforts, Viner Gallery: descended into mayhem. In spite of this protest atrocities had, and continued, to happen across India and Pakistan. Atrocities like a girl having petrol poured down her throat and being set alight, women collectively jumping to their deaths rather than be raped and families are burnt alive in their homes. No-one was safe in this incessant crusade of hatred and violence.
My installations utilise found objects and historical audio. This environment is created to gain an understanding of the struggle for power and the consequential horror it spawned. The ramifications for which are still felt today.
India’s partition saw neighbour pitted against neighbour, the once multi denominational communities changed forever. Failings of the government were apparent and, at a time where diligence, confidence and care should have been paramount, instead there were power struggles, money squabbles and snap decisions that would affect millions.
“Murder is not to be justified in the name of religion” Nehru in Hajari, 157p.
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Jimmy Lannon “Under pressure she became a diamond under pressure she became unbreakable� r. h. sin
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Mountain of Light (Perspex glass, engraved Partition Museum, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Mahatma Gandhi) 30cm x 30cm The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
Satinder Parhar satinder_94@hotmail.com
The notion behind this piece is to provide a political account of Britain’s plan for a smooth transfer of power; emphasising how catastrophic the plan was executed. The work is divided into sections, with every image being important in expressing this narrative. At the top we have the political figures of Jinnah, Lord Mountbatten, Nehru and Gandhi; whose responsibility was to find the best solution for the partition once the British had left India. Below the space is divided into two additional areas. The left hand side depicts the movement of the people. The right illustrates the countless deaths that occurred through rioting and communal violence to the Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus.
The Struggle (Photomontage) 40cm x 28cm
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Nazar Ram, Nana (photography, mixed media)
Manisha Paul Nana is 90 years old, he’s the oldest person in my family and he survived the partition of India and helped to build this house. My mom, uncles and aunts were born in this house...
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My grandma Marjorie Hubbard (1919-2000) only child of Bert & Sally (photography, mixed media)
Moya Lloyd
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Emily Scarrott “What thin partitions Sense from Thought divide: / And middle natures, how they long to join, / Yet never pass th’insuperable line!” - An Essay On Man, Alexander Pope
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The Obelus (÷) (Acrylic Paint Installation) The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
Keith Gilbert Three faces (scupture)
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Untitled 1, 2, 3 (Documentary Photography) 16.5� x 23.4�
Sarah Harford I took this series of images in 2016 at the Wolverhampton Bus Station. They document a moment of the everyday experience. The photographs (as with all photographs) are layered with multiple meanings and interpretations yet fundamentally speak of our commonalities rather than our differences.
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Nelson Douglas N.Douglas@kingston.ac.uk
We Remember (Photography) 60� x 60�
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Seeds landing in other countries
Fatima Amin Fatima has always been of a creative nature from a young age. Her work is of a multidisciplinary nature where she utilizes many mediums such as paint, drawings, sculpt ural form, space and concepts to communicate the human experiences drawing on her own personal encounters. Her practice relies heavily on the essence of life and vitality, the present, the past, the forgotten memories and emotions, and most recently identity.
She explores colour extensively which is a major sensory in her work that is quite representational. In her installation work she uses it to transform a space to engage with the audience. Her idea of communities and societies coming together is reflected in her work, different elements and components integrating to form a greater and beautiful existence.
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Partition (fabric)
Sarbit Kaur
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Jayesh Patel jayphoto@hotmail.co.uk
The importance of photo documenting the various female identities and cultural relations via the means of dress wear is a continuous project which Patel focuses on. The effect of Indian migration to the UK now enables women from different ethnicities to wear the classical and elegant Sari.
This image taken from a larger body of work represents the synthesis that has happened over a period of time.
The Sari (photography) Available to purchase
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Hannah Body This piece highlights Sir Cyril Radcliffe’s role in drawing up the demarcation boundaries between India and Pakistan. His name scribed as an illuminated red line symbolises the bloodshed during the partition. Meeting with representatives from the Indian National Congress and the Muslim league, plus Lord Louis Mountbatten, the aim was to divide the land between Muslims and non Muslim religions.
Under resourced, these fledgling governments were left responsible for implement the border, resulting in the loss of many civilian lives. Tormented by the fatalities of the ruling, Radcliffe refused his fee for the work.
On 15 July 1947, the Indian Independence Act 1947 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom stipulated that British rule in India would come to an end just one month later, including the partition of the Provinces of British India into two new sovereign dominions: the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan.
Radcliffe Line (Photograph of Light Sculpture)
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Harpreet Sander
We are still one, regardless of our past, present and future! - Harpreet Sandher
Surinder’s brother in Punjab
Surinder Kaur Sandher and Family in Kent 1966
Surinder Kaur
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Bhavna Parmar bhav0302@gmail.com
The importance of photo documenting the various female identities and cultural relations via the means of dress wear is a continuous project which Patel focuses on. The effect of Indian migration to the UK now enables women from different ethnicities to wear the classical and elegant Sari. This image taken from a larger body of work represents the synthesis that has happened over a period of time.
Conflict, Demarcation (Mixed media and textiles framed) Frames 20� x 20�
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Kanj Nicholas
kanjana.nicholas@blueyonder.co.uk Living in a predominantly Buddhist country has infused in me an acceptance and respect for different religions while still remaining centred in my Christian faith, visiting Buddhist and Hindu temples inspires me to create art which depicts the symbols of a culture that is rich in history and deeply rooted in spirituality of many faiths.
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It is during our darkest Moments we must focus on seeing the Light (Textile art, fabric, felts, wools)
Available for purchase
The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
Kathryn Sawbridge kathryn.e.sawbridge@hotmail.com
Kathryn Sawbridge is an experimental artist; she works with mixed media and collage to explore personality and identity. She is particularly interested in the differences between what is conveyed externally by a person, and the true internal make-up they have. Also how different experiences and environments contribute to the build up of an individual’s personality and identity. Her work for Untold continues this theme, examining how the 1947 Partition impacted on the people who experienced this event, and how their experiences may show to the outside world, or remain hidden within.
Revealing the Untold truth (mixed media) Size: 50” x 70” Available to purchase The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
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Simon Fletcher Word poet
Notes: I wrote this after attending a conference at Walcot Hall in Shropshire, one of the many houses owned by Robert Clive, who owned more houses than the king, such were his depredations of Bengal. When brought before the House of Commons to account for himself, he expressed surprise that anyone should question him.
The words ‘wallah’, ‘loot’ and ‘thug’ are from the Hindi. A ‘ha ha’ is a deep trench or ditch to stop the animals getting on to the house’s lawn. ‘The Honourable Company’ was the East India Company, the first multi-national company in the world, and the first to employ an army to expedite business. ‘Loot was included in ‘Another Bridge’ Sahitya Press, 2012. Copies for sale from Simon. Check out his website: www.simonfletcher.net (05/17) “By God...I stand astonished at my own moderation” Robert Clive (1772)
Loot
For Debjani Chatterjee
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So I finally got to visit Walcot- sounds like I’m novelish and romantic, n’est-ce pas, but no I’m simply on the trail of Clive. Known in India and the subcontinent as a villain, a thief, (stole most of Bengal, let’s face it) in England as a hero, role model for dashing, daring typesan eighteenth century Thatcherite. ‘Go East, young man, fleece the natives’, some corporate wallah from the ‘Honourable Company’ told him. ‘After all, kick out the French, they’re only Hindoos, worship cows, monkeys, elephant-headed gods’. Outside the ballroom, all soft greens and golds, decaying genteelly, I should report, I walk across the lawn, discover the ha ha. I imagine Clive, one sunny afternoon, standing here, with the loot, wrestled by thugs from thugs, safe, admiring his view and English cattle and how, in spite of failing health, he must have laughed and laughed.
Morris Malcolm Word poet
My first book titled, Ticket - Admit One, was launched at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton. The book summed up the life journey of a young Afro Caribbean man whilst living in the City, who decided to pursue his ambition in poetry. The book Ticket-Admit One… lead to me forming a creative company, called Poetry in Motion, which focuses on various inner city issues, like drug addiction, knife crime, the perils of alcohol and the drama involved in personal relationships. The poetry I write portrays my life experience as a Criminal lawyer, who represents individuals detained in police stations across the UK, A far cry from a young Afro Caribbean boy that left school with no formal qualifications, from sweeping floors and making cups of teas, to becoming a qualified toolmaker.
Embarking on a complete change of direction from manufacturing, I attended The University of Wolverhampton where I successfully completed LLB Law Degree with Honors and received the University’s Tarmac Prize in 2000. I have been described as a "Wolverhampton inspiration”. A second collection of poetry will be published in 2017 that tackles hard-hitting contemporary issues. My main source of inspiration has been and still is my hard-working late mother Icilda who migrated from Hanover in Jamaica, who instilled in me her golden rules of good manners, respect, self discipline and ambition.
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Sukhjeven Chumber, MFA. sukhi8888@hotmail.com
The artwork shown is to reflect the essence and beauty of food from the homeland. In this first series it is reflecting the idea of ‘drawing the line’, also known as the Radcliffe Line. The artwork done is showing one of India’s heritage – mendhi (henne) beautiful and decorative patterns, normally done during special occasions.
The phrase – Go Home’ was reflecting the history behind the words. The words in their true essence came from my school years where ‘go home’ was graffitied in the school boys toilet walls, and now over time I have come to the realisation these words actually have a huge meaning in their own right and depict a greater history and idea.
Series 1 Identity (Installation narrative) available for sale
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Go Home (Projection) available for sale
Komlaish Achall A residue of India’s colonial British rule and rituals, a proper afternoon tea can still be found at a few select places around Delhi, complete with exquisite cucumber sandwiches, delicate desserts and strong India-grown tea. The ‘peacock rose’ symbolizes the power of India as she rose out from the clutches of Imperial British rule and spread her feathers.
The Peacock Rose
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Kuli Kohli
Spoken word poet
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The Rag Doll (Spoken word) The 70th Anniversary of the Partition of India
Serina Achall Word poet
Partition They took away our land the earth beneath our feet they entered uninvited they sweltered in the heat. Manipulate our culture tried to take away our rights claim superiority won’t leave without a fight. They broke up mother India when leaving her in spite they tore up all her family left in the dark without a light. A country left divided a child without a home a rage that built inside her her people left to roam. Brother turned on brother a line across the earth wounds in blood and spirit left broken in the dirt. Freedoms price to pay A debt the reaper took the lives of mothers, brothers, child the heavens truly shook. A history untold a grief never shared it’s time to open eyes and minds the truths a burden bared. Time will slowly heal scars that go too deep 70 years that pass us by a time to sing and weep Serina Achall 2017
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Ahmed Ghawi “I hid myself behind Baba. It was like being in the shadow. Shadows are empty places in things. The colour of shadow is also black, which is the colour of empty things. Blackboard is also black when it is empty No one can draw shadows on blackboards because shadows keep on changing. You cannot draw changing things. But it happens, you know; you draw and you look and it has changed.” Bilal Tanweer.
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Scattered land and livestock (Spices, food colouring, acrylic paint, Indian seeds and herbs) 8.3” x 11.7”
Amie Babu Rare indeed is it to come across history that is so readable and so persuasive.' Amitav Ghosh
Empty nests
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Rachel Arnold
facebook.com/WaterProphetArts 07939315102 01902 714060 I am an artist who is mixing poetry with all the other art forms which express the importance of understanding our closeness to nature. The history of bread involves all the counties sharing the land to grow the grain which was consolidated in the Middle East and spread in both directions. Across the partition people are still baking and eating bread. The land it is grown from doesn’t know divide.
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Power of the bread (Poetry & Image)
Grace Dore
Things would never be the same. Word Poet
Things would never Be the same. Instigated from Those in power Representing the ‘BRITISH EMPIRE’ Ruled land that Was not their own For far too long Coming from British soil Left India in total Chaos and turmoil FIGHTING BLOOD CARNAGE Slicing through India Our country Our lives Our hearts Man against man Brutalisation Effects seen for generations Dividing our people Who originally lived as one Why did the Englishman Change our lives Causing so much anger Causing so much pain Communities and families Wiped out....... Things would never be the same. Grace Dore 2017
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Hazel Patel Hindus living for generations in what was to become Pakistan had to flee their homes overnight. “The day we moved, the area was attacked and many people were killed and injured, we took what we could carry and left�
Abandoned their homes (Photograph)
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Komlaish Achall Sarbit Kaur Fatima Amin Kanjana Nicholas Kate Sawbridge Keith Gilbert Anna Smith Corin Solal Danielle Morris Nelson Douglas Satinder Parhar Sanjay Kumar Manisha Paul Hannah Boyd Sean Morris Harpreet Sandher Sarah Harford Jayesh Patel Jimmy Lannon Sukhjeven Chumber Hazel Patel Ahmed Ghawi Clare Wassermann Gurpreet Gill Bhavna Parmar Moya Lloyd Aaron Ryan Samra Serina Achall Morris Malcolm Simon Fletcher Win Saha Kuli Kohli Hannah Taylor Arun Kapur Grace Dore Rachel Arnold Sukh Guhman Sarbit Kaur Saffron Amber