Mahtab Hussain, Going back home to where I came from, 2018,
Installation view, Photo: The New Art Gallery WalsallMahtab Hussain
Going back home to where I came from
In September 2016, Mahtab Hussain travelled to Kashmir; to the place where his parents had once called home. He was able to meet members of his family for the first time, including his great grandmother, and to witness the kind of life he may have lived, had history taken a different turn.
Born and raised in Glasgow in the 1980s, Mahtab Hussain, like many others, experienced racism and discrimination. He was frequently made to feel like he did not belong in Britain yet he knew no other home.
Hussain has developed an artistic practice which explores ideas of homeland, race, identity and cultural difference. This exhibition presents a powerful and poetic reflection on ideas of home; of belonging and displacement. It also represents a deeply emotional personal journey of discovery and offers a revealing insight into the people and the landscapes of Kashmir.
The exhibition was accompanied by a fully illustrated publication published by Ikon Gallery and supported by the British Council. It includes texts by Jonathan Watkins, Frank Uekötter, Josiah McNeil and Mahtab Hussain. It is available in the Gallery Shop for £20.
Until 24 March 2019
The Family Gallery, Ground Floor
This exhibition extended from Mahtab Hussain’s Floor 3 exhibition Going back home to where I came from and was planned to include a wealth of opportunities to engage with over the summer.
Mahtab Hussain Going back home to where I came from Exhibition Guide
Artist Interview Mahtab Hussain, May 2018
