A multimedia exhibition exploring the Sikh presence in Ireland is open in Dublin until 18 July.
A Sikh face in Ireland at the Chester Beatty Library is produced and supported by the Forum on Migration and Communications (Fomacs) in collaboration with photographer and historian Glenn Jordan and researcher Satwinder Singh.
The exhibition includes photographic portraits of Sikh immigrants and their descendants accompanied by their personal stories, as well as a short film on ‘how to tie a turban’ and a sound installation featuring contemporary Sikh musicians.
“We want this exhibition to travel to museums and galleries across Ireland as well as UK, Canada and the United States,” says Fomacs director Áine O’Brien. “This is not only a project about a different religion, it’s also about education and making visible other identities.”
Jordan and Singh worked on the project for more than two years. “We have travelled all over the island of Ireland to find these people,” says Jordan. “We entered their home and we listened carefully to their stories and tried to understand their lives.
“We believe this project can empower the understanding of different cultures,” he added.
The exhibition tries to introduce Sikh culture to the general public and provide for a better knowledge and understanding far from the common misconceptions that have grown since 9/11.
“My life and that of other people of the community changed a lot after 9/11,” says one of the project’s subjects, Harpreet Singh of the Irish Sikh Council. “Some people felt scared of me when I travelled in public transport. They shouted ‘Bin Laden’ at me.”
Satwinder Singh explains that the exhibition is “a dream come true which helped me understand myself better”. Like many in the 1,500-strong Irish Sikh community, Singh faced prejudice when he arrived here in 2004.
“People used to think that I was Muslim,” he says. “There is much ignorance about Sikh culture. We try to create respectful relations between Sikh and Irish people but there is still much to do.”
The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events in collaboration with the library’s Intercultural Education Programme. There is also an interactive website and a catalogue comprising essays, photographs and life stories in English and Punjabi.
