Tarla Patel West Midlands, United Kingdom
My work explores, identity, space and belonging through memory and migration. I specialise with analogue film and photography, combining this with digital mediums to create layered pieces of artwork. I have a special interest in exploring stories from the past, stories of migration and transition of cultures in today's society. I am one of the founders of an artist collectives called COVert Arts.
My work explores, memory, space and identity through migration and culture. I specialise with analogue film and photography, combining this with digital mediums to create layered pieces of artwork. I have a special interest in exploring stories from the past as I am the legacy holder of my father’s photography archive from the 1950s to 2000 that documented migrant communities from the post war era. My work is influenced, by the narrative of decolonisation/post colonialisation ,race, and feminism.
My creative practice stems from mixing analogue, instant photography and film chemistry crossing over with digital mediums to create art that makes you reflect in what you see and experience. I have exhibited my photography in Coventry and Birmingham at the Midlands Art Centre and the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. As well as photography I create video shorts and work with new technologies. I have also collaborated with different artist from theatre and dance for community art projects, documenting and filming the process and performance.
‘The personal is the political’ is a quote that resonates, coming from Coventry, a diverse and ever-changing city of cultures, I have been exposed and brought up with people from different backgrounds and heritages. A city of many voices needs to be heard and my art is one voice among many. My artwork is to provide another voice to tell a story, one of my own and others that exist between cultures in today’s global society. I explore feminism, the socioeconomics and politics that have influenced my upbringing and life.
