The Edward Hopper of the Black Country’: the photographer whose epic shots captured Sikh life in Walsall | Photography
Artist Billy Dosanjh has unveiled “Paths You Walk,” a comprehensive exhibition of photographs, films, and installations currently showing at the New Art Gallery Walsall. The project serves as an epic photographic reconstruction of the migrant experience in the Black Country, specifically focusing on the winter of 1962-63.
Backed by a National Heritage Lottery Fund grant, Dosanjh utilized oral memories from first and second-generation migrants to create his images. These works depict the lives of South Asian immigrants who settled in Walsall districts such as Caldmore, Palfrey, Pleck, and The Butts from the late 1950s onward.
Capturing a Vanished Industrial Era
The exhibition features meticulously detailed scenes, including “After the Storm,” which portrays an elderly Sikh man gazing at snow under a carriage lamp. The image captures the ghostly presence of furnace smoke stacks, symbolizing the industrial landscape before Britain deindustrialized and the Black Country became green country.
Dosanjh’s work emphasizes the labour of Punjabi men who worked in these furnaces during the 1960s. To achieve authenticity, the artist sourced period-accurate items, including Vimto advertisements, vintage cars, and specific clothing of the era.
The Psychology of Ancestry and Alienation
Through pieces like “PayDay,” which recreates an early 1970s pub, and “Furnacemen,” where Punjabi men are lectured by a white foreman, Dosanjh explores themes of alienation and abjection. He states his goal is for viewers to enter the psychological space of their ancestors.
The work is deeply personal, as the “Rainbow Cafe” featured in the exhibition is a nod to Dosanjh’s father. His father arrived from the Punjab in 1967 at age 14, eventually working in foundries and establishing the cafe.
Contemporary Relevance and Future Projects
The exhibition arrives at a topical moment, serving as a counter to racist tropes deployed by far-right politicians following the jailing of Vickrum Digwa for the death of student Henry Nowak. Dosanjh’s previous work, including the 2016 BBC film “The Sikhs of Smethwick,” has already explored the evolving social boundaries of the region.
Looking ahead, Dosanjh may develop similar projects for Nottingham and Stoke. He is also exploring the possibility of a feature film based on his own script regarding the 2005 race riots in the Birmingham districts of Lozells and Handsworth.
This proposed film could examine the conflict between the Caribbean community and young Muslim men following the 7/7 suicide bombings in London, which killed 52 people. Dosanjh suggests such a project could highlight the complexities of empire and confused identities within diverse communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Until when is the exhibition open?
Paths You Walk: Billy Dosanjh is at the New Art Gallery Walsall until 12 July.
Who provided the basis for the photographic images?
The images were transformed from oral memories collected from first and second-generation migrants.
What was the significance of the 7/7 bombings mentioned in the text?
The suicide bombings by four British Islamist extremists killed 52 people and injured over 770, which Dosanjh links to the atmosphere surrounding the 2005 race riots in Birmingham.
How does the use of historical reconstruction in art change your perspective on local community history?