Belongings: Self-portraits and words by Impressions Gallery's young people’s collective

Belongings

Self-portraits and words by New Focus

Find out more about the stories behind the photographs.

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Belongings

Self-portraits and words by New Focus.

Belongings is the outcome of a photography project exploring the unique and diverse identities of eight young people in Bradford.

New Focus, Impressions Gallery’s young people’s collective, worked with award-winning photographer

Maryam Wahid and Lisa Holmes at Keighley Photo Hub, to create self-portraits reflecting their own sense of identity and belonging.

Inspired by Maryam Wahid’s exhibition Zaibunnisa – which found the artist returning to her mother’s homeland of Pakistan to examine her cultural heritage – New Focus honoured and celebrated their own histories of migration, war, family and community through portraiture.

The portraits capture the power of storytelling through photography, and expose how seemingly ordinary objects can carry intense memories and instil within us a sense of connection to ourselves, our ancestors and our loved ones.

Following a series of mentoring sessions from Impressions Gallery’s curatorial team, New Focus are exhibiting their photographs and words in a series of concertina books. This booklet shares the stories behind New Focus self-portraits, which range from a celebration of Northern Soul and a shared belonging to a subculture, to honouring family members who escaped war.

Introductory text written by Kamila Zaborowska from New Focus.

Belongings features self-portraits and words by:

Amina Ahmed

Rory Connors

Louie Haslam-Chance

Sara Mahnoor Nazim

Nathan McGill

Kyle Stansfield

Chloe Taylor

Kamila Zaborowska

The project was made possible with support from Impressions Gallery, Bradford Community SOUP, and a small project grant from Bradford Council.

Amina Ahmed

The flow and movements of the garments symbolise my relationship with my style, the way fragments of my culture have shaped it together and how I’m constantly finding new forms of inspiration through my heritage.

My photographs aim to use the visual languages of commercial, fashion and documentary photography to express themes of identity and belonging.

The use of soft fabrics and garments as props, being draped and the movements captured, aim to express the diversity of my South Asian fashion and cultural heritage. My self portraits have a contemporary outlook, fusing cultural clothing and a modern fashion style of this day and age.

Through the use of bold and vibrant garments I aim to depict my ever-changing sense of style. These contemporary photographs, were inspired by fashion and editorial photography styles. They comment on how my chosen objects were the focal points of the images, as I was, somewhat, hidden behind the veil.

I chose various garments of different textures, materials and designs to embody diverse aspects of South Asian fashion.

The flow and movements of the scarves symbolise my relationship with my style, the way it has evolved over the years and how I identify as a British Pakistani Muslim.

Showcasing my heritage through an element of my identity is a form of self expression, and resonates the significance of my culture. Ever since I can remember, I have associated the fashion surrounding my culture with being colourful and exciting.

Kamila Zaborowska

When I wear the rings now, they feel deeply important to me as they provide me with a sense of connection to my family, my childhood, and my Polish cultural identity.

I decided to share the story of my rings, which originally belonged to my Polish great-grandmother.

I was born in central Poland and, before moving to the UK at the age of five, I lived in a multigenerational household with my parents and great-grandparents. Although I spent only a small portion of my childhood in Poland, the memories I have are incredibly joyful, and I look back with fondness at an early childhood spent surrounded by a loving family.

My great-grandmother’s rings, which I have made the focal point of my photographs, were made by her father who worked as a jeweller in pre-war Warsaw.

Warsaw was the birthplace of both my great-grandparents, and the city they had to abandon after the war ended.

As someone who grew up between two cultures, I find that the older I get, the more I wish to reconnect with Poland and understand my family history. When I wear the rings now, they feel deeply important to me as they provide me with a sense of connection to my family, my childhood, and my Polish cultural identity.

Chloe Taylor

The objects I have chosen reflect my love of music and reading, I always listen to music when I want to focus, and I find book can take me further into my imagination than any screen can.

In my photos I am wearing headphones and holding a pair of earphones. Music has always been a very big and important part of me. Anywhere you go or anything you’re doing, you can listen to music. For me, having my headphones on and being able to listen to something, calms me and helps me focus. I think music is one of the ways that I can easily express myself.

Much like the books that I am holding in my hands; I love to read. I am also a book hoarder. I feel like a book can take you further into a place or further into your imagination than screens are ever able to, and it’s so easy for me to just sit for hours and read a good book.

I’ve recently started discovering my identity through clothes and the outfits I wear. In the photo, I wear my favourites, and these are what I feel most comfortable in. I feel like I don’t have to completely hide or cover myself when I’m out by myself or with other people.

Kyle Stansfield

Northern Soul is, for me, the epitome of British subculture and working-class identity. It brought together a community in a way nothing much else has managed.

Northern Soul is, for me, the epitome of British subculture and working-class identity. It brought together a community in a way nothing much else has managed, and to this day, it brings people in the North together.

There is no way to talk about Northern Soul without mentioning the iconic fashion, which was so important to the identity of the culture. These Oxford Bags (very baggy trousers for dancing) were bought for me by my grandfather at a Northern Soul event, and are one of the most iconic looks of the whole culture. Anyone going to a Northern Soul club, would likely have had a pair, including my grandfather.

Going back to my grandfather, Northern Soul has been a key part of my family’s life. My grandfather’s own love of Northern Soul led to him becoming involved in the scene, eventually becoming a DJ in his earlier years. It is because of his involvement in the local scene that my father met him, and as a result, also met my mother.

The love and passion for music, which is the foundation for Northern Soul, has been a constant throughout my family ever since I can remember.

Louie Haslam-Chance

Fashion, style and its connection to our identity is shaped by people we love, and passed through generations. That is why these items, belonging to my late grandmother, are significant to me.

These three objects all hold significant meaning for me. The watch and ring were worn by my grandma, Maureen Sumpton, up until her death (2022). The framed photograph is a studio portrait of her, possibly taken in the photography studio where she worked when she was younger.

I was by my grandma’s bedside as she peacefully passed away in a care home. Her ring and watch were the last possessions she wore – forced to leave her home and belongings behind as her dementia worsened. These two items hold huge significance to me and my family, and act as mementos which connect us to my grandma, who we all miss dearly.

Judging from old family photos, and what she herself told me, Maureen was extremely modern during her life. Her fashion sense was sharp, and she had a passion for jewellery and knitting clothes.

I believe style and fashion is passed down through generations, both physically and subconsciously. Maureen knitted clothes for my mum, who now does the same for me and my sister. My sister and I also have a passion for rings and necklaces. My sister designs jewellery and has said she believes Maureen was partly an inspiration for this.

I think this is the significance of fashion, style, and the items we choose to wear. Not only does it shape our individual identity, but it’s also linked to our family identity and heritage. Our own ideas around fashion and its connection to our own identity is shaped by the people we love and passed through generations. As much as I’d like to say my sense of style and the way I use fashion to express my identity is completely authentic, I owe a lot to my grandma Maureen, who I love and miss deeply.

Nathan McGill

A testament to his legacy, my Grandad’s golden stopwatch. A gift from my grandmother that intertwines with our family’s narrative. An embodiment of tradition, love and our shared identity across generations.

A gilded timepiece of unique significance, this golden stopwatch holds sentimental value to my family. Originally gifted to my grandfather from my grandmother, it serves as a poignant emblem encapsulating the historical narrative and enduring legacy of my family.

Given its profound connection to the concept of time, my photographic endeavours with this object are intended to encapsulate the life and sacrifices of my grandfather for his family. Throughout the course of this project, the photographs that portray me have been crafted to capture the essence of my grandfathers life. Particularly emphasising the settings and occasions that would have warranted the wearing of this precious stopwatch.

In the realm of fashion which is inherently intertwined with the essence of this timepiece, it became imperative that my choice of attire be selected to faithfully mirror the era in which my grandfather lived.

It is paramount to note that this golden stopwatch was never intended for casual domestic use, chores, or mundane errands. Instead it was reserved for formal occasions of significance. Thus the characterisation, manifested through my choice of attire and the incorporation of this golden stopwatch, serves as an authentic representation of the era and formality that my grandfather embraced in his life.

Rory Connors

I’ve tried to cram in as many different items into my picture as possible to show my various likes and hobbies - from a football shirt to a train ticket.

For my self-portrait, I thought I’d focus on several different items to showcase as many of my likes and hobbies as possible.

Firstly, the Leeds United shirt I’m wearing, my football team of choice. To be more specific, it’s the shirt from the 2019-20 centenary season, when Leeds won the Championship and were promoted. Fingers crossed for similar success this season.

Secondly, my headphones and CDs. I love listening to music from all genres and eras, although I particularly like 00s dance.

Thirdly my phone, complete with cracked screen - oops. Thankfully it still works, as I’m rarely without it!

Next, there’s my DS - OK, it’s about 17 years old, but I still love it.

The old photo is of me, aged five, in a Power Rangers outfit before someone’s birthday party.

There’s also a home-recorded VHS tape - I collect them from places like Freegle, Facebook, Marketplace, and car boot sales. You often find some interesting things.

My train ticket and railcard is there too - I enjoy travelling and walking, in as many different places as possible. The ticket in the photo was to York, a great city steeped in history. I highly recommend a visit.

As for stuff there wasn’t room for - I like taking photos, watching archive TV and shopping for things related to the above.

Sara Mahnoor Nazim

These objects celebrate my Pakistani heritage, the red and white scarf on my knee belonged to my Grandad who moved to the UK in 1959, as I hold up clothes I wore as a baby it reminds me of how his journey to Bradford created a new life for me and my family.

In 1959, at the age of 15 my Grandfather came to England with a friend to find a job and provide for his family back in Pakistan. Then in 1969, at the age of 25, he returned to Pakistan to get married. He then came back to England to start his family and had his first child in 1973.

He got the blanket I used in the photos about 20 years ago from Pakistan. Whilst they didn’t have any special meaning to him, to me they symbolise the time I got to spend with my Grandfather before he passed away.

He was sick before I was born and passed away when I was three years old. I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with him, however, I still have some very vivid memories of the time I did spend with him.

I also remember the things I did to help him, like walk him around the house and hold his walking stick and wait for him whenever he went to the toilet, which I treasure.

The other objects I chose for these images are my mum’s scarf (which I used in the background), my grandfather’s scarf, and some clothes that my mum made for me as a baby. These objects are important to me as they symbolise how close I am to my mum and Grandfather.