Apna Heritage Archive Installation in Smethwick - Curated by Anand Chhabra as part of Blast! Photo Festival

After months of meetings with the organisers, venue hosts, volunteers and engineers and much discussions and overcoming issues and finally confirming the dates as part of the Blast! Photo Festival….its finally here! We have been installing the exhibition at Smethwick Gurdwara and its a fantastic space! Fortunate enough to have three projectors in the room as this what was need to showcase the archive from the various decades. Its was so important to be able to tour the exhibition and collect new images as this is fundamental to keeping in sharing and growing the archive. Special thanks to all the Blast! Volunteers and especially Richard Warren who helped Anand throughout the ups and downs that comes with curating the work in a different space. The main thin was to run the projectors at their highest output levels so people could appreciate the imagery at its highest quality setting, this required some new power packs installed with HD media…. we pulled it off! Phew! -Anand Chhabra

Richard Warren & Navi Kaur helping to install the exhibtion on the first floor of Smethwick Gurdwara as part of the Blast! Photo Festival.

Ample size and spacing and lighting & ambient Punjabi music for curating the exhibition!

Nothing happens without a plan! Blueprint details for the selfie studio and stand alone plinths were drawn up for the production team at Blast! © Anand Chhabra

Stands were created to put the slide viewers that display the theme of the exhibtion, together with scrolls and pencils to and paper to follow each image that accompanied a file reference number so that audiences could follow the who what where experience of each and every image.

Participants get an authentic feel with the vintage slide viewers when observing the ‘themes’ that are displayed from the archive.

Each image on the projections accompanies a file reference number. Pencils and paper were provided to help audiences understand and follow the archive collection and to encourage them to interact withe archive to find more details about the image.

Blast! Crash! Riot! Navi Kaur and Richard Warren were more than a dynamic duo for helping set up and install the exhibition. Seriously can’t thank them enough!

National Trust embraces first changes in 120 years with Punjabi/Urdu leaflets.

Anand Chhabra has been employed by the National Trust to work as a Community Engagement Consultant for Kedleston Hall’s Eastern Museum for their Year of Listening 2019-20 (YoL). There are many artefacts kept that relate to Derby’s significant minority groups and their heritage. Most items of significance for these communities were part of Lord Curzon’s collection and housed here as part of their Eastern Museum. As a result of the significant impact of Black Country Visual Art’s Apna Heritage Archive exhibition that brought in many Punjabi’s around the Midlands to see it and lauded by the local community, Anand was given the role to bring more BAME communities to not only see the collection in their locality but be instrumental in sharing their views to inform change for a new curation of the Eastern Museum that is due to take place in the next few years. One of things that Anand requested at the start of this new role was to create leaflets that allows for representation of the significant numbers BAME communities from Punjabi & Urdu people (15%) who live in the city of Derby and so fits in with the Trust’s ‘every one welcome’ launch in 2019..

Converting National Trust leaflets walks into Punjabi & Urdu for local population in Derby a first for National Trust 120 year history.

Anand arranged a series of weekly health walks groups from South Asian communities arrive at Kedleston Hall, Derby.

Staff at Kedleston Hall begin to share history about surrounding Lord Curzon the house and gardens during a health work organised by Anand Chhabra.

Staff share history about Kedleston Hall to another group arranged by Anand these communities have lived there lives in Derby but yet most never visited Kedleston Hall a few miles from where they live.

Sikh communities begin to identify there heritage through art work and objects in the Eastern Museum collection.

Groups fascinated and enjoyed looking at objects describing the detail of art & craft contained in the Eastern Museum work as ‘some of the best things ever made’.

Leaders from the local Islamic communities are fascinated and are able to read & translate the meaning of the calligraphy in their own language at their first ever visit with joy surprising staff and volunteers who up to now where clueless as to the writings meaning.

Moving to the City - Schools outreach at Stanley Rd primary School

As part of the HIVE residency Anand Chhabra approached schools in the city of Worcester that he could work with, criteria had to be pupils with a mix of nationalities and cultures so he could conduct a heritage project as part of Moving to the City. Working with YR6 pupils (60) Anand worked with the school weekly to highlight each others migration to the City of Worcester and host a celebration day at the school where pupils and parents could get involved being dressed up in their clothing that celebrates their culture. This event also being part of building photo album for the school that acts as an archive. On one of the weeks was a visit to the HIVE to visit the strongrooms as well learn more photo skills through photo -storytelling. The result was a heightened sense of learning of each others heritage and culture, photo story telling and camera skills, all this still not taught in schools!

Pupils begin describing how parents came to live in the City.

Pupils discover the languages they speak in a single classroom.

Pupils working in pairs begin to interview and write about each other for an archive album held at the school for future generations to learn about.

Writing to archive about the current year 6 for a photo album.

Pupils visit the HIVE building and begin to create a photo story board about the HIVE.

Pupils receive a unique experience in visiting the strongrooms and collections at the HIVE.

Pupils have their photographs taken as part of creating a photo album together of the Current Year 6 (2018-19)

Examples of photographs taken of the pupils dressed to celebrate their national heritage and to be put into an album for future generations at school to remember.

FORMAT Festival - East Meets West - Anand exhibits Supnaa work. ( Arts Council England funded)

As part of GRAIN photo hubs Masterclasses we then invited to showcase work as a collective group called East Meets West at Derby Quad and eagle Market for FORMAT ‘19. I decided to showcase the SUPNAA : Dreams of our Fathers work for the two venues in Derby. The FORMAT festival has a great pedigree and any Fine Art Documentary Photographer worth their salt will end up trying to exhibit in this national festival of photography to be part of it felt fantastic. There was a large number of people who came along to the festival for the launch event. This is always wonderful to show work to colleagues and exhibit with them as most of the time as a photographer you end up working in solitude.

A picture of the Supnaa Dreams of our Fathers work on the FORMAT festival website. © Anand Chhabra

East Meets West collective work in the FORMAT 19 brochure.

Crowds gather for the first part of the launch at Eagle Market before moving to Derby Quad to view East Meets West exhibit.

Passers by stop to look in prime location at Eagle Market for the East Meets West collective work..

Publication of work printed for the exhibition and available for the public to take away. Inset Anand Chhabra’s work Supnaa : Dreams of our Fathers.

Postcards available for visitors & interested parties with details of individual photographers exhibition as East Meets West collective at Derby.

Further invites to PhotoCafe event in Birmingham to present our work as collective.

Anand Chhabra presents at Photo Cafe to audience at 1000 Trades his work Supnaa Dreams of our Fathers Image © Maryam Wahid.

Anand Chhabra presents on Punjabi women for the 'Face of Suffrage'

The Face of Suffrage was a photomosaic created by Helen Marshall a 65ft portrait floor graphic that was on public display at Grand Central Station, Birmingham . The artwork includes 3724 individual pictures uploaded online from the public. This was created to mark 100 years since women won the right to vote. In light of this it was a great honour to be able to present predominantly about Punjabi women from the Apna Heritage Archive at Birmingham Hippodrome arranged by GRAIN photo hub. It was also good to give representation about Punjabi Princess Sophia Duleep Singh who was the god daughter of Queen Victoria and more importantly the daughter of the last King of Punjab, Maharaja Duleep Singh. Sophia was was of the main protagonists of the Suffragette movement. The audience had never heard of her so I was honoured to give the privilege of sharing her part as suffragette and ‘ Votes for Women’ . Many Thanks to Nicola Shipley director at GRAIN who had given the opportunity to present at a full house in Birmingham along with good friend Geoff Broadway from the ‘Living Memory’ project, both our projects from the Black Country!

Anand Chhabra presents on suffragette Princess Sophia Duleep Singh at the Birmingham Hippodrome as part of GRAIN photo hub talks Jan 2019 regarding the artwork ‘The Face of Suffrage’ by Helen Marshall photo inset by © Maryam Wahid.

*** A SPECIAL BLOG POST*** Apna Heritage Archive in INDIA (Nov 8th -29th 2018) (British Council/ACE funded)

Anand Chhabra secured a British Council grant to visit India (in partnership with Creative Black Country & University of Wolverhampton and Tasveer Arts in India) as an artist to research the family album, conduct workshops and present on Punjabi migration to the City in Wolverhampton 1960-1989. Anand is still processing the amazing time he had for three weeks in November around various cities being impacted by the some of the arts and culture scene. In India he planned and visited (Bangalore, Mumbai, Jaipur, Pushkar, Chandigarh, Amritsar, and New Delhi). In his experience this journey turned out far better than he could imagine! Through much favour from institutions and organisations in the above cities he was able to fully conduct what he had planned to do and more. Anand discovered how India is not only developing at a very impressive pace but also with the arts and culture scene through its arts organisations, museums and galleries but more importantly the depth of the directors, artists and curators he met along the way, some really amazing talented individuals. Its a long post largely with visuals on most of the highlights of the journey (copyright Anand Chhabra & Punjab Lalit Kala Akademie) on a few highlights from his visit in November 2018 (blog in reverse order of cities visited)

NEW DELHI- Students at Sri Aurobindo Centre for the arts spend time absorbing each others family albums from c1990s. Anand Chhabra conducted a workshop and presentation session about the archive with the first year students who come from all over India for over 3 and half hours.

NEW DELHI- With first year students at Sri Aurobindo centre with first year students. Students come from all over India to study here in groups to discuss the similarities and differences of AH archive and their own family albums.

NEW DELHI - The students brought sa good number of their own family albums to the workshops and it proved to be an ‘at last !’ moment for me because finding groups to work researching family albums was the only very elusive part of my planned trip.. This is because like anywhere else everybody’s on the mobile phones all the time with not a great deal of value placed on the family album!

PUNJAB, AMRITSAR - Two rising stars Hardeep and Sandeep with holding one of the 10x8 glass plates contained within handmade boxes they have collected over 6 years in with a focus in Sikh History in Punjab. This had to be one of the main highlights of journey as its an incredible collection and professionally and lovingly archived.

PUNJAB, AMRITSAR - An original 10x8 glass plate, one of over 1000 in Hardeep and Sandeep’s collection.

PUNJAB, AMRITSAR - Wonderful to browse through emotive images of family from c1920s Punjab. Hardeep and Sandeep collected many many prints as well as glass plates!

PUNJAB AMRITSAR - Presentation made on Punjabi migration at the Indian Academy of fine Arts in Amritsar. This was arranged by Diwan Manna from the Punjab Lalit Kala Akadmie, Chandigarh, Punjab. Special thanks to them.

PUNJAB AMRITSAR - The presentation at the Indian Academy of Fine Arts reached the local media in Amritsar and in other parts of North India.

CHANDIGARH, PUNJAB - The truly great, amazing and very talented Diwan Manna an internationally recognised artist in his own right and President of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi- Diwan opens preceding for and behalf of a presentation on Punjabi Migration to Wolverhampton at the Akademi. Anand and he have become fantastic friends. Picture background courtesy of the DASS family Inkerman Street, Wolverhampton c1961.

CHANDIGARH, PUNJAB - Anand Chhabra begins the presentation on Punjabi migration and starts with his own family’s journey from India to Wolverhampton.

CHANDIGARH, PUNJAB - Anand presents the research on Punjabi migration to Punjabi’s and the event is televised across Punjab and internationally via Sikh and Punjabi channels.

CHANDIGARH PUNJAB - A very engaging audience asks very interesting and intelligent questions on migration, collecting images in the digital age, religious and ethnic identities and representation.

CHANDIGARH PUNJAB - Anand Chhabra interviewed by journalist PARUL and televised around India and international and friends have reported seeing this in their homes in Wolverhampton!

PUNJAB, INDIA - News about the archive reached the media and was represented across various media in India c/o Diwan Manna (president of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi. This was a full page in the broadsheet Indian Express after interview with Anand Chhabra in India and the filmed interview by Parul has been broadcast by Punjabi channels internationally including the UK!

JAIPUR- In Jaipur Anand received an invited to research the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum archive by director Yunus Kahmani and was wonderfully surprised to be able see the world class gallery which houses the collection curated by Giles Tillotson.

JAIPUR - Anand Chhabra viewing a wedding family album (with nice pink gloves!) of the Maharaja and also with figures such a Lord Mountbatten and Maharani Gayatri Devi including in the albums.

JAIPUR - Amazing collection of double exposures from the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh’s collection. The charming ladies pictured here are two of his many concubine’s.

JAIPUR - Now encased in vitrine cases at the Museum and Gallery the albums kept hidden away are available for many to see just like the Apna heritage Archive!

PUSHKAR- Lukas Birk picture here with a photograph from the Apna Heritage Archive. Working very ethically in South East Asia helping communities with photography projects and archive exhibitions. Very inspiriting time talking with his young man.

PUSHKAR - A web page from Lukas Birk’s website about his box camera project in Afghanistan. Box camera’s were made by hand before becoming a source of income for photographers.

MUMBAI - Marketing poster for the presentation of Punjabi migration to Wolverhampton c1960-80s to be presented at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumba, Mumbai’s greatest and oldest museum (formerly the Victoria and Albert Museum). Mumbai also formerly known as Bombay is a hotspot for arts and culture in India and the home of the Bollywood Industry.

MUMBAI - Ruta Wahgmare and Himanshu Kadam were the super bright curators at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum I took a quick snap while they were together. Wonderful to meet Indian curators something of a rarity in the UK. Very thankful to them to invite me as a speaker, as well as the welcome and the hospitality I received from them.

MUMBAI- Interior of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad (formerly the Victoria and Albert Museum) where a great and engaging audience came to hear Anand talk about about the displaced community of Punjabi’s journey to Wolverhampton. The Dr Bhau Daji Lad museum in Mumbai won a World UNESCO award for heritage and conservation for restoration of the building. Literally no stone was left unturned in ensuring that the building was restored to its former glory. Very honoured to have presented here.

MUMBAI - Great to have such an engaging crowd stop over to receive hospitality ask questions and browse the physical collection of images from the Apna Heritage Archive.

MUMBAI - The indomitable Anusha Yada pictured here as I spent an amazing time with her and her ‘Indian Memory Project’, she has an amazing collection that really brings out the stories in the photos. She inspired Anand’s own collection and gave some amazing thoughts about what else it could be going forward!

Mumbai - Hamilton Studios in Bombay one of the oldest and well established photographic studios in Mumbai founded in 1928 by Sir Victor Sassoon, Anand due to a very tight schedule in India just decided to turn up and fortunately it was open!

Mumbai - Another indomitable lady Ajita Madhavji whose father photographed notable people of India from Maharajas to Generals and Politicians like Ambedkar. Anand was very fortunate to meet with her as she was not entirely well and yet she spoke of her journey with her fathers studio as accidental yet destined to love and embrace it. Pictured here with her chosen image of the Golden Temple, Amritsar from the Apna Heritage Archive.

Mumbai - ‘Head Shots’ taken over the years at the Hamilton Studios and presented at the welcome desk. There as many as 900,000 negatives stored and waiting to be archived by the studio! Apna Heritage Archive had 2000 images but its a good start…..ok not as good but better than no images!

BANGALORE - Two brothers who run the EGK Studios in Bangalore the oldest photographic studios in Bangalore I was put in touch with them via Patrick Anderson. This studio will also be handed down to the next generation who are grappling with the challenging age of digital and social media. These guys (above) know photography technically and the printing processes far greater and in detail than I ever will it was a great joy to hear from them. They handed me a gift a book they published on Bollywood greats made by photographers

BANGALORE - When I enquired about viewing their archive and family images I was saddened to learn it had all but disappeared due to flood 15 years ago. They did show me the above docket which I was pleased to see and it had some negatives so I asked if they had a light box to view them……

BANGALORE - …….the lightbox appeared and even though they had a few negatives I was excited to see what they revealed…..

BANGALORE - the images reveal the faces of men, women and children…..fantastic images……. but having no narrative to go with them I was very saddened that the information on who, where, when and why was missing.

BANGALORE - Suresh (right) from Shanti Rd arts centre helps gather a few artists at the centre to help conduct a workshop.

BANGALORE - Suresh Jayram conducts an interview about ‘the family album’ for twitter. Fantastic to hear from a guy who knows the value of archiving and arts to an amazing high standard. Please check for @anand4560 on twitter for a

BANGALORE - Meeting with partners Tasveer Arts at their very plush offices in India. Amazing and eclectic collection of art and photography with regular sales across to collectors and galleries around the world pictured here original works from Dayanita Singh, Marc Riboud and Andy Warhol to name just a few!

BANGALORE - The wonderful Sunando Chakraborty Anand’s contact for this partnership visit with Tasveer Arts who enabled the visit to India. Sunando was very enthusiastically and knowledgeably showing me the various book productions for photographers that they were undertaking at their offices in Bangalore.

BANGALORE - My initial visit was try and engage with partners in the visit the British Council which I did in the cities I visited had found them very welcoming and engaging an fascinated by the projected. They also supported and visited at the speaking engagements that Anand undertook in India.

Apna wows at NOW gallery's exhibition, London October 10th - November 11th 2018.

It’s been great with building a good working relationship with the team at Historic England since our exhibition and the archive has been represented very well via their ‘Another England website’ here: https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/another-england/your-stories/apna-heritage-archive/. And so I was extremely delighted and surprised to see the archive selection curated and exhibited in London at this week’s private view in London recognising & celebrating 100 years of Black & Asian history. It’s always hard to trust others with your own archive and its representation I was impressed that the team at Historic England and NOW gallery have really done the people of Wolverhampton proud here. It was great to be involved in a project that housed some amazing collections representing Black & Asian History from Magnum Photos, Getty Images, Autograph and Masterji. Not only this but great to know that the archive itself was handled by Black & Asian curators via Kaia Charles and Ruth Lie (co-curated by Anand Chhabra).

Another chance to see the archive co-curated by Historic England & NOW gallery (London).

We are excited to announce a second exhibition for the Apna Heritage Archive this year in London (co-curated by Anand Chhabra. The work has been very well represented by the fantastic team at Historic England this year. This exhibition is a curation of their Another England project called ‘Human Stories’. The work is contemporary narratives in Black and Asian Heritage in England. We are so thankful to the team at Historic England who have done a lot to represent our archive which they love! the exhibition runs from 10 October - November 11th 2018 and is free to the public! So its now on at NOW gallery. More details here at the Historic England website! https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/visit/exhibitions/human-stories-another-england/ - Anand Chhabra

Supnaa : Dreams of our Fathers shortlisted for Magnum Foundation prize & nominated for Prix Pictet 2019 (Arts Council England funded)

Supnaa : Dreams of our Fathers is a project of BCVA Director Anand Chhabra’s long term project on his parents migration to the Black Country. The project therefore connects to his parents generation of migrants who had hopes of a better life in another part of the Commonwealth. From 228 applications from 58 countries this project was shortlisted down to the final few by Magnum Foundation’s Photography in Collaboration : Migration & Religion prize. The project seek to communicate the truth of those formative years through portraits, ephemera and conceptual images when Punjabi’s arrived into the Black Country en masse in a very tumultuous time in the 1960s and relays there hopes, dreams as well as disappointments. The 60’s was a racially charged time with a generation that knew the horrors of partition back home and racial prejudice as sojourners abroad. This project seeks to look at the times nd seasons of their lives as a story that remains largely untold through fine art documentary photography. The project has also nominated for Prix Pictet in 2019.

Excerpts taken from Supnaa project showing the Dreams, hopes, faith and work life of early Punjabi migrants © Anand Chhabra

Apna Heritage Archive presentation at the Singh Twins 'Slaves of Fashion' Symposium August 2018

It was great pleasure this month to be invited to internationally renowned artists The Singh Twins's Symposium at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Anand was asked to respond to their 'Slaves of Fashion' exhibition & specifically their new works which were created by the Singh Twins. It was great to reflect and therefore talk through the similar theme of Migration, History, Empire, Punjabis, Colonialism in the work of the Apna Heritage Archive. Thanks to Wolverhampton Uni and Creative Black Country for their involvement in bringing these amazing artists to this City of Sanctuary for Punjabis! Such a pleasure and honour to be here!!

BCVA director Anand Chhabra with artists Amrit and Rabindra 'The Singh Twins' @ W-ton Gallery.

Amrit and Rabindra 'The Singh Twins' present their "The Slaves of Fashion' exhibition, W-ton Art Gallery.

Representation for Indians at Black Country Touring's 'Back in 10' theatrical production.

We were recently asked to photograph at Black Country Touring's 'Back in 10' production which were very wonderfully dramatised utilising the Black Country Living Museum as its backdrop. They brought to us the reality of life of 1930's Black Country in all its guises using fine actors, dancers, musicians, poets, script and the like. What really impressed us was the representation of Indians who were at the centre of the production.  Black Country Touring has modelled its own path utilising diverse leadership and granting opportunity for Indian artists. Encouraging to see.  

Sonia Sabri dance performance for 'Back in 10'on the set at Black Country Living Museum.

W-ton University graduate John Rogers on the set of 'Back in 10' at Gripton's Radio Stores.

Hard times for some at the Grocers for actress Rochi, Black Country Living Museum.

Poetic drama at the pawn shop @ Black Country Living Museum © Anand Chhabra

Sabrina Nabi entertaining audiences on the set of Gripton's Radio Store at Black Country Living Museum.

Producer Bobby Tiwana from Black country Touring on the set of 'Back in 10'. © Anand Chhabra

Anand presents research regarding the transnational family.

Anand Chhabra has been invited to speak about the Apna Heritage Archive at the Family Ties Network event  on June 8th. This one-day research seminar will explore the overlaps between personal and cultural interrogation of transnational identities through familial representations. This is their first event in the West-Midlands, hosted in association with the VAR Research Centre for Art and Cultural Memory, at Coventry University. We aim to host an exciting event that looks at transnational family from different conceptual perspectives. The FTN have invited three artist/researchers to talk about their practice in the context of Transnational Family, alongside FTN co-ordinator Lizzie Thynne. Special thanks go out to Caroline Molloy for the invitation along with Rosy Martin further bookings and info about FTN here :- https://familytiesnetwork.wordpress.com/events/

Anand Chhabra will be presenting AH archive followed by Q/A at FTN Event on June 8th 2018.

Apna Heritage Archive as featured on the Photo Collections Network May/June 2018.

Really thankful to the Photo Collections Network for interviewing Anand Chhabra and featuring the Apna Heritage Archive on their website. Its great for this project with significant Punjabi history in Wolverhampton and Britain to get this kind of representation. I love the way they are able to link captions and images of the archive on the home page. These then link straight to our website to give further details of the images. Indeed look out for the the PCN as they have great pedigree with very experienced people no doubt they will be key players regarding the future of archives, digital and heritage amongst other things! There is a small membership fee to join as well as opportunities to get involved. Well worth it! Special thanks to Maura McKee and Paul Hermann for helping setting this up! https://www.photocollections.org.uk

Featured on the Home Page of the Photo Collections Network for May/June 2018

An interview about the Apna Heritage Archive is featured on the members blog.

Apna Heritage Visitors book 60 pages full of positive feedback

At the exhibition we had a visitors feedback booklet and I have been overwhelmed reading about the wonderful comments children and adults have been writing about the exhibition and how they have been impacted by it. Largely 99% have been positive from two lots of visitors book at the exhibition. Its just the kind of feedback we wished for from Punjabis and the wider community. 

Positive vibes written by some of the visitors to the exhibition Jan 13 - March 18th 2018 

Apna Heritage Archive profiled in Historic England's 'Another England' website

It was great to have Harr-Joht, Olivia and Tamsin from Historic England past us a visit at the archive space during our exhibition. They felt that the Apna heritage Archive should have representation on the 'Another England' website to profile important stories for 100 years of Black and Asian History in England. Its great for the archive to be  profiled on this great project! - Anand Chhabra

You can find out more here:  http://anotherengland.co.uk/your-stories/

Apna Heritage Archive profiled on 'Another England' its about 100 years of Black & Asain history 

Apna Heritage Exhibition impact on Punjabi's in the City.

Its quite hard to quantify and evaluate exactly what the impact for the Apna heritage Archive exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery has had on Punjabi's in the City . A community that is not known for engaging with the arts let alone walking in to the gallery to see it. The photos are just a few I personally accumulated by the visits I took to the gallery. When one of our volunteers turns up to temple in Wolverhampton and as a steward opens the door and one person after the other from all age ranges congratulates him for his fathers photographs being projected at the exhibition. Or when I walked in the first few days of the exhibition and saw a couple and after I was there an hour a gallery steward pointed out to them that I was involved in its creation, she immediately ran put to me and said there is a picture of my brother that I never know existed and yet he had passed away over 20 years and thanked me for preserving their heritage. Or others said it was akin to a religious experience looking at the large scale projections. It may never been known but indeed at least two things have happened as a result of this exhibition is that word of mouth has gone out to many Punjabis in the City meaning it was something to see. Also as an ethnic based organisation we have been given the opportunity to prove our competency in curating and putting this project together thanks to all our partners. - Anand Chhabra

A few of the regions VIP's in our 70's Selfie Studio during the exhibition.

Great to have hosted so many of the regions talented people the heads of various organisations and institutions who wanted to come and view the exhibition for themselves. I personally had great conversations and very encouraging input from all people that came to visit and so have put up a few images here they include (better viewing on an iPad!) top left to top right and bottom left to right :- Glenis (Black Country Living Museum) Harr-Joht,Olivia and Tamsin (Historic England) Peta (Digital and Media Officer ACE) Tarla and Rochelle (Masterji fame and MA student) Andrew Jackson (International Photographer) Caroline Molloy (Senior Lecturer Photography Coventry Uni & me!) Sam Ivin ( Photographer infamous series on migration Lingering Ghosts) Dr Mahoney and Natalie ( Learning Regions Wolves Uni) Emma Chetcuti (Multistory) Richard Lewis (Senior Archivist Dudley Archives) Mohammed Ali (Artist & Knights of the Raj fame) - Anand Chhabra

A few of the regions VIP and connected to heritage and photography visit the AH Exhibtion

Apna Heritage Archive Exhibition extended until 18th March 2018

Its quite hard to articulate the impact that this exhibition has had on the Panjabi community in Wolverhampton. It was only after the first few days visiting the exhibition space after the mad rush and energy in creating and realising it that curiosity drove us to wander in every day for the first week (indeed the whole time the exhibition was on for in my case just to see what the public thought!). There are so many stories but a few pictures here about what I personally as Chair of the organisation experienced at any time I went in. The community have been so thankful about the exhibition in terms of preserving there heritage for future generations to pick upon these themes. Pictures of family held by other members of the community for decades were realise for the first time with tears. Word of mouth about the exhibition spread as its was very well curated and in a beautiful exhibition space at the gallery. Our volunteers witnessed many thankful and praiseworthy comments about the exhibition from all sections and ages from young to old lauding the exhibition and congratulating our volunteers for their work regarding the archive. Indeed primary & secondary schools colleges and university depts all visited with their students across the City and beyond. This lead to an extension of the exhibition for a further two weeks at Wolverhampton Art Gallery to whom we are very thankful! - Anand Chhabra

Visitors from the Panjabi community at various times visit the exhibtion at W-ton Art Gallery

The Apna Heritage Archive Exhibition reviewed in NAW blog and Artsfoundry

There has been good impact regionally regarding the exhibition after the launch of the Apna Heritage Archive exhibition in January. Interesting from our region reviews have appeared in New Art West Midlands & Arts Foundry in the Black country. Reviews were written by the writer in residence at Birmingham University Louise Palfreyman. Caroline Molloy a noted writer and senior lecturer in photography at Coventry University and Su Fahy Principal Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts at Wolverhampton University have also written very positively about its content and curation after interviewing Anand Chhabra Chair at BCVA and visiting the exhibition. This is positive for our organisation as an ethnically based organisation as what has been written in these reviews proves our competency in creating projects and presenting them at a high level, its all about telling the stories that have yet been untold in our region. Thanks to these brilliant ladies for their effort in giving the exhibition a have wider reach about Panjabi heritage in Wolverhampton to our region - Anand Chhabra

To see more of what has been written about the Apna heritage Archive exhibtion please go here:- http://newartwestmidlands.co.uk/editorial/the-apna-heritage-archive-reviewed-by-caroline-molloy/

https://blackcountryartsfoundry.wordpress.com/reviews/

The Apna Heritage Archive Exhibition acclaimed on social media.

Fantastic to see what others in the region who know a thing or two about art, curation and exhibitions! The Apna Heritage Archive exhibition continues has started on good footing and here are few words about what others are saying about the exhibtion. One of them includes the extension of the exhibtion from the original end date 4th March to 18th March due to popularity of the exhibition! - Anand Chhabra

Apna Heritage Archive Exhibition positive comments via twitter