A collection of anecdotes and vignettes from BIPOC creatives
Ethnic minorities within Western societies are often categorised on the basis of their racial backgrounds. In a time where there is a rise in diversifying representation in media, there are facets and areas which are still lacking or are done inaccurately.
Motivated to connect and fill the gaps in representation within the wider societal context, Diaspora is a research-led inquiry which takes the form of a publication as a means of celebrating BIPOC creatives. The title refers to the commonality of the creatives featured to all be first or second generation immigrants, including myself – the facilitator of this project. It is a curated collection of written anecdotes, visual vignettes and essentially, is a glimpse into the lives of contemporary practitioners.
Due to the pervasive nature of racial stereotypes and cliches, people are often times othered - labelled as disconnected whenever they deviate from those preconceived notions. While these tropes are a representation of real-life experiences, one’s struggles or given labels is not their penultimate defining feature.
This body of work takes back the narrative and gives people a platform to speak about themselves in a safe space, away from the categories we get put in. Diaspora facilitates the personal experiences of BIPOC creatives and discusses their background, the influences of their culture(s) on their practices, and their perception of identity.
The publication is in the form of individual chapters dedicated to each creative. Within it is a written article based on my conversations with them, transcripts, and quotes that they resonate with. The imagery used varies in each chapter and is a combination of photography and illustrations created by me, as well as work produced by the creatives.
Whether it be the display typeface, or the background music of the video, as much as possible this project celebrates BIPOC creatives through their work, their stories, or a mix of both. Diaspora is not just an inquisitive publication, it is also opportunity to incite conversation of the socio-cultural nuances that are prevalent in our daily lives.
