New Punjabi portraits set to feature permanently in art gallery
Ten new photographic portraits are set to be featured as part of a city art gallery's permanent art collection.
Wolverhampton Arts & Culture said it was delighted to announce the acquisition of ten new photographic portraits of the Punjabi community in Wolverhampton by artist Anand Chhabra, with three of the portraits will also enter the National Portrait Gallery’s photographic collection.
The ten portraits were taken as part of Citizen UK, a partnership project with the National Portrait Gallery and Citizen Researchers which aimed to document, explore and share the experiences, histories and achievements of Wolverhampton’s Punjabi Community.
The project also explored how each sitter’s activism and sense of community shaped the city, feeding into national conversations about UK citizenship, with the portraits all accompanied by oral history recordings of the individuals featured, which will become part of the ‘Wolverhampton Voices’ oral history project at the City Archives.
Among the stories of courage and integrity conveyed through the project and in the portraits include that of former bus driver, Tarsem Singh Sandhu, who fought for two years for the right to wear his turban to work.
Other stories include Councillor Bishan Dass Bains, the first South Asian Mayor of Wolverhampton whose campaigns for equality and human rights improved the lives of thousands suffering discrimination; and Dr Kuli Kohli, Wolverhampton Poet Laureate and a leading figure within the city’s creative community.
Kuli was born with mild cerebral palsy and has used writing to express her observations on life, she is passionate about supporting other Punjabi women in the city to find their creative voices.
At the heart of the Citizen UK project was the work of seven Citizen Researchers from the city who worked with staff from the National Portrait Gallery, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Anand Chhabra and Dr Kuli Kohli to first explore Wolverhampton and the National Portrait Gallery’s collections.
They identified some of those many people they felt should be represented and whose stories are vital for understanding the city’s identity and history today.
The portraits were displayed as part of the Citizen UK: Punjabi Migration Histories exhibition a Wolverhampton Art Gallery from May to July 2023.
The ten portraits are of Harbans Singh, Heera, Rajesh Mair, Mak Singh, Dharam Pak, Bishan Dass Bains, Tarsem Singh Sandhu, Harjinder Kaur, Dr Kuli Kohli, Sathnam and Surjit Sanghera and Jaspal Kohli.
Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for visitor city, Councillor, Bhupinder Gakhal, said: “The voices of the Punjabi community are so important.
"The people mentioned have been involved in major movements and milestones within the city.
“Citizen UK has enabled these iconic people of Wolverhampton to share their stories so that they can be held at the City Archives for future generations to learn and to add to.”
Dr Kuli Kohil said: “I have always longed for a sense of belonging, and although it has been a challenging journey, it has been one that is worth the effort.
"I have made it a priority to uplift and enlighten others so that we can come together and form a strong, understanding and supportive community.
"I am proud to be a shining member of the Punjabi community in Wolverhampton.
"I am truly overwhelmed to be featured at both Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, and I would like to thank Anand Chhabra for taking amazing portraits of local Punjabi people who have contributed to making Wolverhampton what it is today."
Liz Smith, director of Learning and Engagement at the National Portrait Gallery, said: “Throughout our recent period of closure and since reopening in 2023, we’ve been working hard to ensure our visitors return to a Gallery that presents a wider range of voices telling a broader story of national culture.
"This is why we are particularly delighted that the ambitious Citizen UK project, delivered in partnership with Wolverhampton Arts and Culture, Citizen Researchers, Anand Chhabra and Kuli Kohli, has resulted in such a wonderful series of photographs, and three new acquisitions for the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection.
"These new works will help us share the stories and significant impact that Wolverhampton’s Punjabi community has had on both local and national life.”
To find out more, go to wolverhamptonart.org.uk
