What makes London today one of the most exciting places to live is the wealth of residents from all over the world and the cultural diversity that has ensued, making London not only a great place for foodies (!) but a great place to learn about other cultures. Today I visited ‘Southall Story’, the exhibition of music, photography and film currently showing on the Spirit Level in the Royal Festival Hall. It celebrates the heritage of Ealing’s ‘Little India’, but also explores the problems that arise when cultures clash. In a previous post Yemisi Blake discussed the question of national identity and diversity within India and UK, and this exhibition is incredibly relevant to that question as it really examines how India’s cultural identities have fused with others such as the African-Carribean, and how they sit within London.
There are some great installations showing not only the domestic interiors of Southall but also the street stalls, maintaining India’s reputation for colour and vibrancy.
Expect photographs and album covers on Bhangra from the 1960s to the 1990s, stories from current and past residents of Southall and some delightful family photographs. Certainly worth your time is ‘A Town Under Siege’, a documentary about the racist attacks in Southall between 1976 and 1981, which shows the shocking effects of close-minded racism upon a community. Southall Story is on the Spirit Level until Tuesday 11th May.
Filed under: Alchemy 2010 Tagged: | Southall Story
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