Nationhood: Memory and Hope
A modern-day insight into the UK's four nations kicks off Bradford's year as UK City of Culture 2025.
Nationhood: Memory and Hope is a new exhibition of powerful and poignant photography celebrating the diversity of the UK today. It is a love letter to all that is good in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, and offers a wealth of insights on how we each try and shape both our identities and communities to make the world a better place.
The cornerstone is The Necessity of Seeing, a major new collection of constructed images by the acclaimed Ethiopian photographer Aïda Muluneh. Shot through the artist’s surrealist lens at iconic locations in Bradford, Belfast, Cardiff, and Glasgow, these layered and complex images reveal the overlooked stories, forgotten histories and quiet moments that shape who we are.
First seen on billboards around Bradford in autumn 2024, the exhibition also presents A Portrait of Us, Muluneh’s potent black and white photographs of unsung community heroes from the same four cities.
New, or never before seen, photographic portraits by seven rising stars in UK photography explore issues of history, identity, race, gender, and religion.
Shaun Connell pays tribute to his Jamaican mother and Christian faith believers in Bradford, while fellow Bradford photographer Roz Doherty captures both the energy and uncertainty of youth in a new set of studio portraits. Chad Alexander explores the transformation of the Tropicana in Dungannon, from an Irish National Foresters club into a vibrant multicultural community hub. Robin Chaddah-Duke reunites 1970s stalwarts of The Parade Community Education Centre in Cardiff to recreate a group portrait, and Grace Springer showcases the vibrancy of community game changers from the city’s African and Caribbean diasporas. Miriam Ali spotlights grassroots activists from community organisations in Glasgow, while the photographs of Haneen Hadiy view the beauty of Scottish landscapes through the lens of Islamic symbolism.
Curated by Anne McNeill, Nationhood: Memory and Hope is a Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Impressions Gallery commission, in partnership with Belfast Exposed, Ffotogallery in Cardiff, and Street Level Photoworks in Glasgow.
The exhibition will travel throughout 2025 to Belfast Exposed, Ffotogallery in Cardiff, and Street Level Photoworks in Glasgow – making this the first ever UK City of Culture project to take place in all four nations of the UK.
Image top: The Dew at Dawn, 2024 (detail) part of The Necessity of Seeing collection © Aïda Muluneh.
Image bottom: Installation of Nationhood: Memory and Hope at Impressions Gallery © Faye Hatton courtesy Impressions Gallery.
Virtual Exhibition
Explore Nationhood: Memory and Hope in this interactive virtual experience. Need some help? Watch our quick demo to discover all the features.
Artists
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Aïda Muluneh
Aïda Muluneh explores the UK through her lens and the perspectives of our unsung heroes. She captures a nation of extraordinary depth - woven from the richness of our shared identities, the vastness of our diversity, and the complexities of our history and heritage.
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Chad Alexander
Chad Alexander, Belfast, explores the transformation of the Tropicana in Dungannon, from an Irish National Foresters club into a vibrant multicultural community hub. "My interest in everyday life, how people choose to spend their time, or how some people have less choice in that."
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![Nationhood: Memory and Hope — Impressions Gallery]()
Grace Springer
Grace Springer, Cardiff, showcases the vibrancy of community game changers from the city’s African and Caribbean diasporas. "I have always wanted to share stories of people in the community."
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![Nationhood: Memory and Hope — Impressions Gallery]()
Haneen Hadiy
Haneen Hadiy, Glasgow, photographs the beauty of Scottish landscapes through the lens of Islamic symbolism. "Growing up between two cultures has profoundly shaped my artistic practice, inspiring me to explore themes of identity, belonging, and the sacred."
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![Nationhood: Memory and Hope — Impressions Gallery]()
Miriam Ali
Miriam Ali, Glasgow, spotlights grassroots activists from community organisations in Glasgow. Miriam's work focuses on themes of identity, religion and home.
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![Nationhood: Memory and Hope — Impressions Gallery]()
Roz Doherty
Roz Doherty, Bradford, captures both the energy and uncertainty of youth in a new set of studio portraits. "Photographic portraiture was perfect for this project because it allows me to communicate something intimate about each subject."
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![Nationhood: Memory and Hope — Impressions Gallery]()
Robin Chaddah-Duke
Robin Chaddah-Duke, Cardiff, reunites 1970s stalwarts of The Parade Community Education Centre in Cardiff to recreate a group portrait.
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![Nationhood: Memory and Hope — Impressions Gallery]()
Shaun Connell
Shaun Connell, Bradford, pays tribute to his Jamaican mother and Christian faith believers in Bradford. "As a collaborative community project, everything is produced and published with the intention of fostering understanding and connection."
Meet The Artist: Aïda Muluneh
Running time: 3 minutes 30 seconds.
Filmmaker: Michael McCabe.
Additional footage: Mackenzie Turner, Working Word, Cardiff.
Resources
Our visitors say...
”Such a beautiful exhibition. Full of vibrant characters that express the true meaning of community.”
”Love to see the collaboration between the four nations – It brings a sense of pride and love to Bradford.”
”Wonderful to see a city & its people looking forwards. A beautiful exhibition.”
”Very enjoyable exhibition. As a visitor, I felt I learned a little more about Bradford, which I already like a lot!”
”Fascinating & brilliant. A good diverse exhibition.”
”Beautiful and emotionally powerful photographs. No matter who you are, you will be able to feel connected to these pieces one way or another.”
”Bradford – Cardiff – Glasgow – Belfast… Now that’s a United Kingdom I can get onboard with. What a wonderful, powerful exhibition. Brimming with hope as to what our shared story is, can and should be. Kudos to all involved.”
”Thought provoking, creative, modern, and wonderfully diverse. Thank you.”
”A way to see these cities, their people and their hearts with new eyes.”
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