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What Boxes Do you tick?

#finalyear #family #collaboration #colourism #education #identity #prejudice

“What boxes do you tick?” refers to the boxes on forms asking for one to tick what they identify as. My project started by questioning my own identity and then progressed into focusing on the South Asian part of me as it is one of the main factors of my RIS. The story is about South Asian people who live in SW London exploring their own individual experience with their sense of self identity and race. This is interesting as there are first hand accounts on colourism, Racial Imposter Syndrome, and identity living in London. People are multifaceted and fit into many boxes e.g. their skin colour may be viewed as an anomaly for their ethnicity. The project itself has been created using multimedia. I have worked with Infrared, Digital and non digital cameras as well as used screenshots from Zoom interviews. These mediums have been practical and used as a visual metaphor for my project as it encourages the idea that it is the voice that holds the most value, rather than the shell that carries it, as well as there being many shells that can carry it.

Nihal Perera

Sofia’s grandad, from the Family Album Archive

Nihal Perera

Sofia’s grandad, photographed in his office where he enjoys coding for his own projects and designing computer programs

Britt and Mark Perera

Britt and Mark from the Family Album Archive

Britt Perera

Sofia’s aunty, photographed post COVID-19 lockdown

Mark Tilak Perera

Family Album Archive

Mark Tilak Perera

Sofia’s father. Photographed in his local pub where he likes to socialise and unwind

Sofia Perera

Self Portrait taken in my Student accommodation using a Canon XA10 camcorder in infrared

Sofia Perera

Self Portrait taken in my Student accommodation

Nabila S.

Photographed in Kaspas, a nostalgic place where farewells were exchanged before her trip to Bangladesh

Nabila S.

Photographed in Kaspas, a nostalgic place where farewells were exchanged before her trip to Bangladesh

Burhan K.

Photographed inside Joe Macari Performance Cars, where he is an apprentice.

Burhan K.

Photographed outside Joe Macari Performance Cars, where he is an apprentice.

Bethany M.

Screen shot captured during a Zoom interview for this project

Bethany M.

Screen shot captured during a Zoom interview for this project

Omar K.

Photographed by Putney Pier, where Omar enjoys walking and reading

Omar K.

Photographed at Garratt Park, where Omar enjoys reading and playing basketball

What boxes do you tick?

Interviews from the South Asian community in South West London looking into their relationship with their race, nationality and sense of self identity as well as looking into colourism and racial imposter syndrome.

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