My Brother is Back:
An Exhibition, Archives & Events programme
reflecting on Islamophobia, Extradition & Prisoner Solidarity
(21st August - 8th September 2024)
Curated by Hamja Ahsan
Wip Space, Wandsworth. Wentworth House, Dormay St, London SW18 1EY
Book appointment on non -event days: hamjaahsan@gmail.com with #WIPBrother in the subject header
Appointments available 7 days a week, 10am-9pm
Opening Event: 21st August 6pm - 9pm
Poetry, short film, tributes to campaigners Uschi Gatward, Bruce Kent & Mike Marqusee
Curators tour of the exhibition with artists introduction
BOOK NOW on event brite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exhibition-launch-my-brother-is-back-with-talks-short-film-poetry-tour-tickets-972171028717
Exhibition curated by Hamja Ahsan
Artists:
Shahidul Alam
Matthew Krishanu
Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan
Tom Dream
Damon Kowarsky
Senaka Weeraman
Helena Wee
May Ayres
& more…
Full Event programme & news updates & booking:
hamjaahsan.com/solidarity
Further events on personal resilience and community support, with letters and short stories that look at state cruelty and resistance from Theresa May to Keir Starmer
BOOK Closing Event - 7th Sept here 6pm
Ushi Gatward talk: with Matthew Krishanu, Denise Rose Hansen & Hamja Ahsan
: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exhibition-launch-my-brother-is-back-with-talks-short-film-poetry-tour-tickets-972171028717?aff=oddtdtcreator
A public talk on Uschi Gatward's short stories with artist Matthew Krishanu, curator and artist Hamja Ahsan & editor Denise Rose Hansen.
The title of the exhibition "My Brother is Back" is named after Uschi Gatward's short story "My Brother is Back" that recreates the journey back to his London family home of Hamja Ahsan's brother Talha after release from a US death row, Supermax prison following an unjust extradition. The short story was awarded the Wasafiri New Writing Prize in 2015.
Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the day.
The book may also be purchased online here:
https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/paperback-shop/english-magic
Review of Uschi Gatward work in The Guardian:
The exhibition "My Brother is Back"is curated by Hamja Ahsan runs at WIP Space Studios from 21st August - 8th September. There's a full programme of events, films, talks, comedy, poetry updated at:
The exhibition & reading room is open 7 days a week 10am-9pm. Please contact : hamjaahsan@gmail.com to book a appointment slot with date and time with #WIPBrother in the subject header. Entry to all events are free with optional donations and solidarity tickets.
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BIOGRAPHIES:
USCHI GATWARD (1972-2021) was a writer, born in Mile End, London. Her debut collection, English Magic, is published by Galley Beggar Press. Her stories have appeared in the anthologies including Best British Short Stories 2015, 2021, 2022 (Salt) and Resist: Stories of Uprising (Comma Press). English Magic was shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2022.
MATTHEW KRISHANU is a painter, born in Bradford and based in London. A monograph book was published about his art practice by Anomie Press (2023). Recent solo exhibitions include The Bough Breaks, Camden Arts Centre, London (2024) and On a Limb, Jhaveri Contemporary, Mumbai (2023). Recent institutional group shows include Life is More Important Than Art, Whitechapel Gallery (2023), and Mixing It Up, Hayward Gallery (2021). His paintings of Talha Ahsan and Hamja Ahsan are in the current WIP Space exhibition 'My Brother is Back'.
IG: @matthewkrishanu
HAMJA AHSAN is an artist, writer, activist and curator was born in London and is currently based at WIP Space Studios where he is resident artist until 1st October 2024. His artwork has been exhibited widely Internationally, most recently at Documenta 15 (2022), Santa Monica Arts Centre, Barcelona (2023), Silenced exhibition of artists censored in Germany in Malmo Sweden (2024). He is the author of the cult book Shy Radicals: Antisystemic Politics of the Militant Introvert, recently made into a documentary film by Ridley Scott Associates. He was recently awarded the Grand Prize at Ljubljana Biennial 2019 for the art work Aspergistan Referendum based on this project. He is founder and co-curator of the DIY Cultures festival of creative activism, zines and independent publishing since 2013. He was shortlisted for the Liberty human rights award for Free Talha Ahsan campaign on extradition and detention without trial under the War on Terror. He is on the editorial collective of the Radical Mental Health magazine Asylum. He currently working on 2nd book Radical Chicken based on his Documenta 15 project about Halal Fried Chicken shops.
IG: @shyradicals
DENISE ROSE HANSEN is the publisher of Lolli Editions. She holds a PhD in English from UCL where her project, ‘Minor Happenings: The 1960s British Art Novel’, explored the work of Ann Quin, Paddy Kitchen, Denis Williams, and Stefan Themerson, and these writers’ engagements with the art world. With Jeff Ko and Sara Thorsen Fredborg, she is the co-founder of the November Collective, a group of experimental writers that meets monthly at Somerset House. She currently works as a researcher for Yinka Shonibare CBE RA’s library installations.