Visual Arts March (1).qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2022 10:24 Page 1
Image: Masterji, Kokila with Umbrella, Ramaben Patel, Kok ila with Umbrella, 1973. © The Masterji Estate
Visual Arts previews from around the region
46 whatsonlive.co.uk
Through The Lens Of Masterji Compton Verney, Warwickshire, until Sun 22 May
Taken over the course of more than 50 years, the photographs of the late Maganbhai Patel - more widely known as Masterji - provide a unique and evocative record of the people who migrated to the Midlands and made the region their home. Masterji arrived in Coventry in 1951 and became known as the city’s first Indian photographer. Two years before his death - in 2016 and at the grand old age of 94 - he received his first solo exhibition as part of Coventry’s bid to become UK City of Culture. This follow-up show, presenting the most comprehensive survey of Masterji’s work to date, features portraits taken across his long and distinguished career. Oral-history interviews with members of the pioneering generation of South Asians in Coventry are also included. Presented alongside Masterji’s images, the interviews provide an insight into the experiences and challenges faced by many migrants coming to the UK.
