The exhibition follows two years of intensive research and trips to Kenya to uncover the facts behind the story of her Great Aunt - the first Indian woman to be sentenced to be hanged in British colonial Kenya 1949. It takes us on a journey through a series of immersive sculptural installations, Svain, Kaur-I-Noor and a new iteration of Killer Queen, which include materials related to the women’s ‘work’ her great aunt conducted whilst in prison. These are shown alongside soundscapes based on original audio recordings of Gurdwara prayers and South Asian female performers, creating a powerfully evocative experience, charged with personal history.
This exhibition Swan Song – sing her to me addresses issues of gender, race, female violence, colonialism, migration and patriarchy, and invites audiences to explore the narratives that both connect and uncouple communities.
Open in the Main Gallery from 13 July – 22 September.
Join us for the opening on Friday 12 July, 6pm – 8pm.