Rivington Place
London
RE2A 3BA
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“I wear my headscarf as cultural signifier for who I am and what I believe”
Arpita Shah’s photographs portray women from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities in Scotland, who practice the tradition of head covering or veiling. Shah highlights the significance of the Purdah – the ‘sacred cloth’ – and its deeply personal meanings to the women she collaborated with as part of the project.
Her portraits seek to address the common misconceptions around the tradition of head covering and veiling through representations of contemporary women who choose to practice this tradition.
Arpita Shah (b. 1983, Ahmedabad, India) is a photographic artist and educator based in Scotland. She works between photography and film, exploring the intersections of culture and identity.
Shah spent the earlier part of her life living between India, Ireland and the Middle East before settling in the UK (in 1992). This migratory experience is reflected in her practice, which often focuses on the notion of home, belonging and shifting cultural identities.
AUTOGRAPH
Rivington Place
London
EC2A 3BA
Opening Times
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Closed
11am - 6pm
11am - 6pm
11am - 9pm
11am - 6pm
12 noon - 6pm
Closed
VISITOR CONTACT
T: 020 7749 1240
E: info@rivingtonplace.org
Banner image: 1) Arpita Shah, Sari, Reshma. From Purdah – The Sacred Cloth (2013). 2) Arpita Shah, Hijab, Shameem. From Purdah – The Sacred Cloth (2013). 3) Arpita Shah, Chuni, Perwinkle. From Purdah – The Sacred Cloth (2013). 4) Arpita Shah, Niqab, Samina. From Purdah – The Sacred Cloth (2013). 5) Arpita Shah, Hijab, Ghazala. From Purdah – The Sacred Cloth (2013).
Page images, from top left: 1) Kalicia, from the series Aboriginal Teenagers (Sonal Kantaria, 2014). 2) Arpita Shah, Sari, Reshma. From Purdah – The Sacred Cloth (2013)
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.