Autograph’s Ali Eisa is speaking at Open Eye Gallery’s online event Open Rooms 8: Photography and Racialisation. With fellow panellists Yasmin Gunaratnam and Daniel C. Blight, they will seek to examine the role photography plays in the ongoing racialisation of people, in the UK and worldwide. The conversation will revolve around an image submitted by each participant, with an accompanying question.
Photography is not innocent. The medium has played a significant role in maintaining a visual culture and hierarchy with its roots in colonialism, one in which racial 'whiteness' is synonymous with 'normal' and desirable. This can be seen and understood in the various practices and technologies of photography.
Ali Eisa is Autograph’s Learning and Participation Manager, and a visual artist who exhibits nationally and internationally. He has a background in social circus, youth arts and youth work.
This event is organised by Open Eye Gallery. Register for a free ticket above, or on Eventbrite. The event will be livestreamed to Open Eye Gallery's Twitch channel, an online streaming service. They also have a community of chat rooms and ongoing conversations on Discord, a free messaging app open to all. Follow this link and download Discord on desktop or mobile to join the conversation.
Tickets for this event are booked through, and managed by, Open Eye Gallery. For any queries about their ticketing or privacy policies, please visit openeye.org.uk
Image: Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Every Moment Counts (Ecstatic Antibodies), 1989 [detail]. Courtesy of Autograph, London
Autograph is a place to see things differently. Since 1988, we have championed photography that explores issues of race, identity, representation, human rights and social justice, sharing how photographs reflect lived experiences and shape our understanding of ourselves and others.