A Place Called Diaspora 2016-17 by Andreia Alves de Oliveira

This event has ended.

A workshop with photographer, researcher and lecturer, Andreia Alves de Oliveira. Her work will be on display until 2 May.

Workshop: 11am – 1pm in Room 2.24

The workshop will address questions of visualisation of notions of belonging and diasporic identity/ies. Andreia will give a short presentation on the development of her project, discussing its visual strategy and contextualising it within the existing photographic representation of the Portuguese diaspora. The aim is to equip the participants with a conceptual framework and knowledge of visual methods that will allow them to explore their own sense of belonging and identity/ies through both image and text.

As preliminary work, please bring a maximum of five photographs (taken by you or not) representing (literally or figuratively) what “home” means for you. If possible, print the images (on photographic paper or regular paper).

Exhibition Opening with wine reception: 5pm – 6pm in foyer

This project is about the personal and psychological effects of emigration, in particular emigration from Portugal, seen through the Portuguese diaspora in the city of London. What does emigration do to those who emigrate, what transformations does it operate in their lives? How does it affect the perception of the self and that of society? What influence does it have on personal notions of belonging and identity, in particular identity defined in terms of nationality?

The panels combine text from interviews with Portuguese emigrants with photographs showing parks selected by the interviewees. The park refers to the centrality of the notion of space to that of emigration and the sense of home, while at the same time it signifies internal and psychological states. The experience of the nurse, the scientist, the cleaner, the politician, the doctoral student, the banker, the pub waiter, the architect, the nanny - all are transformed into a portrait that aims to tell more than mere stories of professional and economic un/success.

Biography

Andreia Alves de Oliveira (Afife, 1979) is a photographer, researcher and lecturer based in London. She holds a PhD (2015) and a master's degree (2009) in Photographic Studies from the University of Westminster in London. Previously, she studied law and worked as a lawyer.  You can access more information about her on her website: