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SM Visuals

@_sm.visuals

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▫️London-based Photographer | Visual Storyteller
▫️Capturing people, spaces & stories
▫️Currently documenting the Southall Public Arts Project

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Southall, London — The Broadway Manja, a new permanent public artwork by interdisciplinary artist Shirin Naveed, has been installed outside JAS Musicals on The Broadway — the heartbeat of music in Southall.

The work takes its form from the manja — the traditional rope bed central to South Asian domestic and communal life — reinterpreted in woven welded stainless steel. The material nods to the Punjabi and South Asian labourers who migrated to post-war Britain, whose work shaped the country’s manufacturing landscape and whose longing for home gave birth to Bhangra.

Etched across its surface are sixteen song lyrics in Gurmukhi, Shahmukhi, Devanagari and English, chosen collectively through paid co-design workshops with ten multi-generational Southall participants, alongside a graphic score developed by the artist in response to the sounds of South Asian folk instruments. The bench is at once functional street furniture, permanent archive and performance stage: an invitation to sit, to recognise, and to remember.

The artwork was celebrated with a community event on The Broadway, with live performances by DJ Kairo, SHIR.IN and special guest, musician and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra, alongside workshops exploring how the artwork was developed.

Artist: @shir.in___
Performances by: @stripezz.z @kuljit.bhamra @shir.in___
Workshop participators interviewed: @stripezz.z @karan_teji
Location: @jas_musicals

And thanks to @jas.captures_ for support on the day.
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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration Team, the Greater London Authority and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of the project: ealingculture.org @ealingculture @ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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18

19 days ago

The launch of The Broadway Manja brought the project to life — with speeches to officially open the piece, a live performance from Kuljit Bhamra, and a set from DJ Kairo.

Inside Jas Musicals, workshops gave people the chance to explore some of the ideas and processes behind the manja, while outside on the Broadway the party was just beginning.

Shout out to Shirin and Jas Musicals for setting up a really special day in Southall. (2/2)

Featuring: @shir.in___ @stripezz.z @kuljit.bhamra
Location: @jas_musicals

—

Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration Team, The Greater London Authority, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of the project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials:
ealingculture.org
@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil taken in Southall Broadway, London by @_sm.visuals

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a month ago

“The Broadway Manja” by Shirin Naveed.

Inspired by Manja - traditional rope beds central to South Asian domestic life - this work was developed with a multi-generational group of people of different ages with a connection to Southall. Etched into the surface are song-lyrics and a graphic score developed by the artist, tracing historiesof migration and diverse musical cultures.

Designed by artist and spatial designer Shirin, the manja brings a familiar South Asian form into the public space of Southall. A place to rest, gather and connect.

I spent the day documenting the manja coming to life on the Broadway, and the people behind it. (1/2)

Featuring: @shir.in___
Location: @jas_musicals
—

Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration Team, The Greater London Authority, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of the project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials:
ealingculture.org
@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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a month ago

A selection of photos looking at the process, details and the finished work by artist @dish_kunst .

Dish’s installation on Merrick Road Bridge draws on Southall’s history, culture and music, with references woven through the artwork to create a timeline stretching from one end of the bridge to the other.

How many of the references can you spot?

Artist featured: @dish_kunst

With credit to
Joni Belaruski
Jasdeep, Katrine, Paola, Mona, Appren, Raj and Ami

Location: Merrick Road Bridge, Southall

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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of the project through @ealingculture and @ealingcouncil. by @_sm.visuals

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2 months ago

A mural shaped by Southall’s history, its people, and ideas from the next generation.

Artist Dish worked with pupils at Blair Peach Primary School before creating the Stronger Together installation on Merrick Road bridge. The children’s ideas around green spaces became part of the final design, alongside references to Southall’s rich history, music and culture.

Dish, who grew up in Southall, describes going down a “rabbit hole” of the area’s history while developing the mural.

Featuring: @dish_kunst

—

Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of this project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials

https://ealingculture.org
@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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2 months ago

Faces of Southall brings together around 130 portraits of people from across Southall collected through schools, local workshops and conversations with the community.

Seeing it finally come together on the bridge makes the journey behind the work feel even more special.

Featuring: @rajdraws
Location: Merrick Road footbridge (behind Southall Station)

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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of the project through @ealingculture and @ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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2 months ago

From installation to reveal.

Faces of Southall by Raj Dhunna transforms Merrick Road Footbridge into a celebration of the people who make Southall what it is. Created through a series of community workshops and engagement sessions, the artwork brings together over 130 illustrated portraits from across the local community.

Artist: @rajdraws
Location: Merrick Road Footbridge

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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of this project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials.

https://ealingculture.org

@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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3 months ago

From idea to installation.

Pablo Thomas brings his artwork to life on Wolf Bridge — a piece celebrating twelve moments from Southall’s culture and history, from the building of the Grand Union Canal to its rich musical legacy.

Chosen with the local community and inspired by historic images, the mural reflects the stories, traditions and everyday life that make Southall unique.

Featuring: @_pablothomas
Location: Wolf Bridge, Norwood Road

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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of this project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials

https://ealingculture.org

@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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3 months ago

The Wolf Bridge Mural comes to life.

Pablo and team’s mural on Norwood Road celebrates twelve moments from Southall’s culture and history, chosen with the local community and inspired by stories that make the area unique.

Featuring: @_pablothomas
Location: Wolf Bridge, Norwood Road, Southall

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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund. by @_sm.visuals

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3 months ago

Meet Raj, illustrator and designer.

Inspired by Southall’s diversity, Raj set out to create a public artwork that reflects the people who pass through it every day. Through a series of community workshops, local residents became part of the creative process, with their contributions transformed into the illustrations now welcoming visitors at Merrick Road Bridge.

Featuring: @rajdraws
Location: @jas_musicals

—

Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of this project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials

https://ealingculture.org

@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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3 months ago

A few moments from one of Raj’s community workshops on Southall Broadway, outside Jas Musicals.

Volunteers from across Southall contributed their profiles, forming a growing collection that Raj would later transform into the illustrations that will feature at the entrances to Merrick Road Bridge.

Featuring: @rajdraws
Location: @jas_musicals

—

Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and The UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of this project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials

https://ealingculture.org

@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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4 months ago

What does Southall mean to the next generation?

As part of the UKSPF Southall Public Arts project, artist Dish returns to Blair Peach Primary School to lead a workshop with students, exploring their thoughts, memories and experiences of the area through drawing and conversation.

The ideas shared in these sessions will help shape a mural being developed for the Merrick Road footbridge behind Southall Station.

Featuring: @dish_kunst

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Supported by Ealing Council, The Culture & Regeneration team, The Greater London Authority, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Follow more of this project on the Ealing Culture webpage and socials.

https://ealingculture.org

@ealingculture
@ealingcouncil by @_sm.visuals

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59

4 months ago