Neha Gill

The preliminary idea of my practice looks at dual identity, the idea of being a second-generation immigrant living in a contemporary post-colonial, Western society. My chosen medium is a mixture of both digital and film photography. My current practice consists of self-portraiture, performance, photography and collage. I use this combination of media to express my own thoughts and ideas around femininity, identity and the tensions that exist within familial relationships specifically with women. I have been captivated by the idea of ‘British Asian aesthetics’ and how south Asian diaspora in the UK from the 1960s until present always carry their culture with them. Throughout the generations this idea has morphed and changed from archival south Asian film clubs of the 60s and 70s to ‘Daytimers’ in the late 80s and 90s. I find beauty in the idea of the children and grandchildren of south Asian immigrants taking parts of their own heritage and marrying it with western culture to create a whole new subculture. Most of the time when discussing identity, culture and values, people like to put the east and west up against each other as these two separate groups of ideology. While tension does exist between the east and the west there also seems to be this celebration and pride when it comes to identity among south Asian diaspora in the UK. My practice explores this concept of this “push and pull” between Eastern and Western culture and values through performative, photographic works in reference to family photos and film stills.