LeaveToRemain

LEAVE TO REMAIN - CENTRAL SPACE
16 - 22 June 2003
ACAVA, Central Space, Faroe Road, W14, London

The exhibition in June has created a precedence for the exploration of the contemporary art as practiced by displaced artists. It has proved to be a great success and has generated a huge amount of interest. It was powerful and enjoyable in its own right and stimulated a debate around issues of representation and marginalisation of 'refugee artists', on labeling and terminology used to describe artists who are or have been refugees and/or asylum seekers. The work in the exhibition reflected on the difficulties and the joys of being an artist in a different culture to your own, on belonging and not-belonging, exclusion and inclusion, on loss, but also on discovery.

The exhibition was part of Refugee Week, a week long event in June aimed at showcasing the contribution the refugee community makes to the cultural diversity of the UK.

Comments from the Visitors Book:

“This really needs funding for a touring exhibition and on a larger scale”

“Very productive in terms of bringing the issue of asylum seekers into the open and public attention”

“I would like to see more work like this in mainstream venues”

“More please! Real issues and real art”

"Excellent, expressive exhibition, very inspirational & says so much more than words alone."

"I am glad that I came to see the exhibition. It opened my eyes about the situations/the problems."

The exhibition was kindly supported by ACAVA, Walking Home and London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

ACAVA - 'Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Arts' is an arts organisation providing studios and working facilities for professional artists, organising community arts projects as well as working with schools and other educational institutions thus providing visual arts opportunities for adults, children and young people.
ACAVA is a registered charity number 287894.

LEAVE TO REMAIN - BBC London
23 July - 3 August 2003
BBC London, Marylebone High Street, London

The exhibition has been granted an extension of Leave to Remain, by the Roots Project - a joint initiative between the BBC and Arts Council England. The exhibition took place at the showroom area of the BBC London, in Marylebone High Street. On 23 July the BBC has examined the issue of asylum and immigration in a special series of programmes and coverage on TV, radio and the web. Leave to Remain was part of the BBC Asylum day and was a valuable contributor to the debates that have arisen from the day. The exhibition received a wide coverage through the BBC London radio, the web and the staff magazine Ariel. Having such a prominent location in the Central London, as well as the support of the BBC has meant that the show was seen by an even larger audience who welcomed the work displayed. Here is what a few visitors have written about their experience of Leave to Remain:

“The work is very powerful”

“A wide range of responses to a pressing situation in a small space. Many of the exhibits bring 'home' the reality of peoples' experiences”.

“Thank you Roots and Leave to Remain for making us open our eyes”.

“Keep it going - it's great to see proper representation of the diversity of artists settled here”

“Interesting to see that I would not have recognised this exhibition as that of refugee art if I had not read the explanation and to think of refugee art vrs art on its own”

"All great things must first wear terrifying and monstrous masks in order to inscribe themselves upon the hearts of humanity - an inscription has been made with this exhibition. Essential to our understanding of ourselves and each other."

‘Roots’ is a partnership project between the BBC and Arts Council England which aims to increase the profile of diverse arts through coverage on BBC local radio, TV and online media. Roots is particularly interested in hearing about Asian, Caribbean, African and Chinese arts activities and wants to find ways of reflecting your experiences of London through radio features, outside broadcasts, web articles and live interviews. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/london/roots for more information, or contact Roots coordinator Shehani Fernando on shehani.fernando@bbc.co.uk.

MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION & DIVERSITY
19 Princelet Street, off Brick Lane, London E1 6HQ

OPEN DAYS IN 2005
Every Sunday in May, 12 - 5pm, for Museums and Galleries Month
Every day for Refugee Week from Monday 20 June to Sunday 26 June, 12-5pm

19 Princelet Street in Spitalfields is a magical unrestored Huguenot master silk weaver's home, whose shabby frontage conceals a rare surviving synagogue built over its garden. It is a unique heritage site and a permanent celebration of how all our diverse communities - Asian, African, West Indian, Anglo-Saxon, Jewish, Sikh, Moslem, Huguenot and many others - have made Britain a richer place, culturally, economically and spiritually.

BBC LONDON, in a live show from 19 Princelet Street on Asylum Day, first connected Margareta Kern and the Princelet Street volunteers, who offered ‘Leave to Remain’ a further extension to their stay in the capital. The museum makers welcomed this ‘demonstration of the power of place combined with the power of people to give something to the wider society, however much they themselves have suffered and lost’.

Three artists featuring at the Museum of Immigration and Diversity are: Gonkar Gyatso with his work 'Soft Touch', Suzana Tamamovic with her site-specific installation 'People Tell Me To Cheer Up, It Could Be Worse' and Margareta Kern with the installation 'Standard Class Opinions'.

Celebrate diversity at 19 Princelet Street with the work of local schoolchildren who have made the work for the 'hauntingly beautiful' exhibition SUITCASES AND SANCTUARY, which has a permanent residence at the Museum. The exhibition asks you to pause and wonder what could make you leave home for a strange new country. This site specific exhibition explores the history of the waves of immigration that shaped Spitalfields, seen through the eyes of today's children. It is the story of one area, the story of London, and the story of the making of multicultural Britain.

In just 4 days it was open in Autumn 2003, 19 Princelet Street was visited by nearly 2,500 people, and more have seen it in special visits. Groups range from university student, to departments of migration, history and politics around the country, schoolchildren, young offenders who have committed racially motivated crimes, and recent refugees learning English and citizenship.

This is the only Museum of Immigration & Diversity in Europe, and is desperately struggling to survive. Please visit the Museum’s web-site to find out how you can help, www.19princeletstreet.org.uk/help!

Visitors Comments:

‘An excellent exhibition - thought provoking! All the more wonderful for being shown in 19 Princelet St. Thanks v. much!’

‘Thought provoking & powerful! Loved ‘People tell me...’, very spooky though. And the photos - excellent idea.’

‘Marvelous - the ‘mix-and-match’ comments were thought provoking and challenging. I left with a very different perspective!’

‘Messages on the mug, the grate, the telephone...Ordinary objects carry a completely different connotation when you’re displaced.’

‘Absolutely inspired! I came just to see the house and found myself caught up with the emotion of this country’s history. Soft Touch is a work of genius.’