COMMUNITY MATTERS
A group exhibition celebrating work from our diverse ethnic communities
In this exhibition we bring together three artist from our wonderfully creative and talented diverse ethnic communities. Shahena Begum is an emerging British/Bengali artist living in Tower Hamlets, Ahmed Jabir is an established British/Sudanese artist living in Hackney and Aisha Hussein Shariffe, a Sudanese artist and interior designer living in Greenford.
As artists, they are part of a wider community, even if unknown to each other, and each appreciates the value of community as a space in which to create, thrive, share ideas, find support and grow. And this matters, not only because it enriches their life and work, it’s also fundamental to our existence as humans.
According UCLA professor Matthew Lieberman, a growing body of research shows that the need to connect socially with others is as basic as our need for food, water and shelter. He says ‘"Being socially connected is our brain's lifelong passion…..It's been baked into our operating system for tens of millions of years."
In bringing these artists together in the same space the exhibition aims to provoke in the viewer a consideration on how this diverse body of work can hang in close proximity to each other with harmony whilst each retains it’s individuality and how this concept is vital to us in society as a whole.
As Ahmed Jabir, so beautifully states’ Knowing people well through a community or multiple communities is crucial in understanding ourselves to inspire each other to enrich our creativity and existence effectively’
Venue: The Gallery Café, St. Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PL
Dates: Tuesday 15th October – Monday 25th November
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday — 8:30 am – 6.00 pm
Free entry
Access: If you have any access needs of which we should be aware, please let us know.
Step-free entry to The Gallery Cafe is at the rear, through the garden. It is accessible through the gate located two doors to the left of the cafe’s main entrance. If you need access to an accessible toilet, please let us know so we can arrange that.