Join us for a celebration of Belongings, an exhibition of concertina books featuring photographs and words by New Focus, Impressions Gallery’s young people’s collective.

Belongings was inspired by award-winning photographer Maryam Wahid’s exhibition Zaibunnisa at Impressions Gallery – which found the artist returning to her mother’s homeland of Pakistan to examine her cultural heritage.

In a series of workshops with Maryam Wahid, and Lisa Holmes at Keighley Photo Hub, New Focus created self-portraits exploring their own personal histories of migration, war, family, and community.

These photographs are now on display in a series of concertina books in the gallery bookshop, accompanied by the personal stories of each New Focus member. Capturing the power of storytelling through photography, the portraits expose how seemingly ordinary objects can carry intense memories and instil within us a sense of connection to ourselves, our ancestors and our loved ones.

Join us from 1pm to celebrate the achievements of the young people involved. At 1.45pm step outside for the premiere screening of their photographs and stories on the Bradford Big Screen.

Free event, all welcome.

The celebration event is taking place as part of Bradford Zine Fair on Saturday 23 September.

Belongings features photographs and words by Amina Ahmed, Rory Connors, Louie Haslam-Chance, Sara Mahnoor Nazim, Nathan McGill, Kyle Stansfield, Chloe Taylor, Kamila Zaborowska. The project was made possible with support from Impressions Gallery, Bradford Community SOUP and a small project grant from Bradford Council.

Top image by Kyle Stansfield.