Not Just Brown, Not Just Indian by Mathushaa Sagthidas

Thursday 27th April 2023 – Thursday 17th August 2023 , 10:00am to 4:00pm

A new exhibition by Tamil British photographer Mathushaa Sagthidas opens at The Lab at Oaklands Rise. The exhibition features 18 photographs demonstrating the multiplicity of traditions, histories and identities in South Asia.

The exhibition opens ahead of South Asian Heritage month, beginning on the 18th of July. This year, the annual international festival focuses on the theme, ‘Stories to Tell…’ which is all about celebrating the stories that make up the diverse and vibrant South Asian community.

The exhibition entitled, ‘Not Just Brown, Not Just Indian’, comes from the artist’s own lived experience as an Eelam Tamil woman, as she is often assumed to be Indian as if it were the only country to exist in South Asia. Others involved in the project, from models to makeup artists to artistic directors, shared these experiences where they felt their distinct and diverse cultures and traditions were classed as one.

Working with various South Asian women from their respective countries, Sagthidas wanted to show parts of their stories, especially during South Asian Heritage Month where their stories could be amplified and told.

Mathushaa Sagthidas is a London based freelance photographer, stylist, set designer and art director. She studied at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL. with interest in fine art and contemporary fashion. Mathushaa’s work often examines her identity – Tamil Eelam ethnicity and British nationality, which is reflected through traditions, history and fashion photography.