Artist Sohaila Baluch has been exploring the twentieth-century experiences of British South Asian women in the Bishopsgate Institute archives as part of a LAHP-funded research placement. “Being Seen, Being Heard” is Sohaila’s response to the discoveries made during this placement. Through a three-hour durational performance, you will discover how racism is a focus of daily struggle for Black and brown bodies and start to understand how this impacts their sense of self and identity. Alongside the performance, you’ll have the chance to view a display of a selection of the journals, pamphlets, and photographs which have inspired this unique installation.

“Being Seen, Being Heard” takes place under the dome in the Bishopsgate Institute library as part of South Asian Heritage Month 2023. It has been made possible thanks to support from the London Arts & Humanities Partnership.