Sabrina Tirvengadum: Mauritian Tamil art exhibition in the UK

Sabrina Tirvengadum, a British Tamil visual artist & graphic designer, explores their Mauritian heritage in new exhibition at Leicester’s Attenborough Arts Centre.

Sabrina Tirvengadum: Who Were They? Who Am I?
அவர்கள் யார்? நான் யார்?
7 February – 6 April 2025
Free Entry

Presented by the Attenborough Arts Centre in Leicester, Sabrina’s exhibition delves into the complexities of their Mauritian family history, deeply influenced by the legacies of colonialism while challenging ableist systems.

Inspired by their father’s life and family stories passed down through generations, this exhibition connects personal narratives with the larger history of Indian indentured labour in Mauritius. At its heart, it asks a universal question: How much of who we are comes from who they were?

Using archival photographs, AI-generated imagery, digital art and film. @another_hellosabsab blends personal and collective memories to reimagine moments that were lost, hidden or never existed. This approach shows the nature of how memory works, mixing truth, interpretation and imagination.

A key part of this journey is the artist’s DNA link to the Marrier d’Unienville family: wealthy plantation owners who employed their great-grandmother as a maid. This discovery led to a deep exploration of privilege, labour, and lineage, which are central to the artwork ‘If We Were Marrier d’Unienville’ through imagining alternative histories, this work invites us to think about the complex connections between ancestry, power and resilience.

Who Were They? Who Am I? is more than a question. It invites us to explore how history, family, and storytelling shape identity. By reimagining the stories of the past, Sabrina honours those who came before and asks us to reflect on our own connections to history and heritage.