Join us for an evening of short talks by photographers whose practice focuses on issues of displacement and the refugee experience. This symposium, outdoor exhibition and new network will explore the ways visual art can illuminate and reshape narratives around migration, identity and belonging. Featuring Amak Mahmoodian, Frankie Mills, Adiam Yemane, Liz Hingley and Aida Silvestri. Panel moderated by Fozia Ismail.

Counterpoints Arts and the Martin Parr Foundation present a series of short talks led by artists whose photographic practice focuses on migration, identity, refuge and care. The discussion will touch on questions of representation, activism and lived experience.  All are invited to view the exhibition after the talks and share food inspired by Middle Eastern, African and Eastern Europe cuisines made by Houria.

The featured photographers work will be on show outside the Royal Photographic Society in Bristol from 13th October, curated by Liz Hingley.

Amak Mahmoodin was born in Shiraz, Iran and now lives in Bristol. Her artistic practice explores the representation of gender, identity and displacement, bridging a space between personal and political. Working with images, poems, archives and videos, she looks for the lyrical reality in the photographs.

Frankie Mills is a photographer and writer based in Devon. She is interested in the ways in which people create a sense of home and belonging that doesn’t derive from location. She is currently creating a body of work on Ukrainian refugees in her local community. Work from the series won OpenWalls Arles (2023) and has been shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize (2023).

Adïam Yemane , an Ethiopian-Eritrean visual artist and storyteller, embraces a profound love for nature. Her artistic journey steers toward freelance portrait and research photography, a platform through which she illuminates contemporary issues, notably in social justice and community development. Her art aspires to convey heartfelt global stories, transcending surface narratives, and beckoning viewers to connect with the world on a deeper level.

Liz Hingley is an artist and anthropologist based in London. She founded The SIM Project , a mobile collection of unique personal artefacts made at workshops in 8 countries to date. The SIM-scale artefacts combine analogue and digital photography processes with jewellery making to give tangible meaning to peoples virtual networks, and value and archive stories of migration. The project is a collaboration with Frank Menger of the Centre for Print Research, UWE and a growing team.

Aida Silvestri is an interdisciplinary artist and educator of Eritrean descent. She creates mixed media artworks that challenge the status quo of stigma, prejudice and social injustice concerning race, class, identity and health, often combining text, image and experimental techniques to manipulate the photographic surface.

Fozia Ismail is a scholar, cook and founder of Arawelo Eats , a platform for exploring politics, identity and colonialism through East African food & co- founder dhaqan collective a Somali feminist art collective based in Bristol.

Houria CIC is a anti-slavery and anti-racism organisation, training & hiring women migrant cooks and survivors of slavery in a bristol based catering company.

This event is part of the Platforma festival 2023 , produced by Counterpoints Arts and partners across the South West of England. It is supported by the University of West England.