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Iftar gathering #2: bringing Bengali voices and exploring the Bengali Photo Archive with Four Corners
Friday 6th March 2026 , 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Our second Iftar gathering presents a special exhibition in the Nunnery Cafe, bringing together selected photographers and videos of and by east London’s Bengali community in partnership with Four Corners. A communal dinner prepared by OITIJ-JO Kitchen will also be served for those breaking the Ramadan fast.
A chance to view the fascinating images from the Archive – from 1970s to 2020s – we will explore these ideas alongside the context of Laisul’s Hoque’s own family archive in the spirit of his ideas around collective storytelling.
Join us as we explore the Bengali Photo Archive (BPA) through a series of selected photographs and videos of and by east London’s Bengali community in partnership with Four Corners, alongside artist Laisul Hoque’s own family archive, in the spirit of his ideas around collective storytelling. We will also hear from Tanbir Mirza-Baeg, a volunteer on the project who developed a rich archive of his own family materials.
The BPA stands as a repository of historical materials, curated to capture and celebrate the story of the Bengali community in Tower Hamlets. Led by Four Corners and Swadhinata Trust and in partnership with Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives, this collaborative project encapsulates a commitment to preserving and sharing the community’s stories.
Through the dedication of 25 volunteers and the generosity of the Tower Hamlets Bengali community, the archive have amassed an impressive collection exceeding 4500 captivating photographs and 18 insightful oral histories. These materials, sourced from families, individuals, organisations, and photographers, represent diverse voices and perspectives, offering a unique window into the community’s experiences, traditions, and aspirations.
Food and drink menu:
- Drinks and snacks: Lemon Sharbat, Dates
- Dinner: Khichuri (creamy lentil and rice risotto style), Channa (chickpea) Curry, and Mixed Salad
Please contact nunnery@bowarts.com if you have any dietary requirements.
The event will start at 5pm in the Nunnery Gallery, with a communal dinner offered to the participants to break the Ramadan fast starting from around 5:30pm.
More about Four Corners
Four Corners believes in film and photography for all. As a registered charity, their work builds upon almost 50 years of radical, socially-engaged approaches to photography and film. Access to the arts is not equal. They aim to change that. Their training projects enable underrepresented people to gain skills in creative media. They support artists’ development, work with local communities and engage broad audiences through their cultural programme.
More about OITIJ-JO Kitchen
OITIJ-JO Kitchen is a woman-led project of the OITIJ-JO Collective, an arts and training charity dedicated to promoting awareness of Bengali culture.
It aims to bring traditional, handmade Bangladeshi cuisine to the public and to disrupt the gender norms of hospitality and catering sector by providing training and employment opportunities to people who are generally underrepresented in kitchen and front of house roles.
Their specialty is slow cooked, home style food that gives time to health and wellbeing. They love to serve a wide range of customers of all ages and from all walks of life, especially people who might not have tried home cooked Bangladeshi food before. They started out of grassroots action in Tower Hamlets and have a strong belief supporting home grown talent and celebrating our borough and the diverse community of London.
Access Information
The Nunnery Gallery and Café have step-free access throughout from street level, including to the accessible toilet, and is service animal friendly. This venue does not have a hearing loop system. Accessible parking is not available on-site.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility at this venue or event, would like to make us aware of any access requirements that you have in advance of visiting, or would like this information in an alternate format including Easy Read, please email nunnery@bowarts.com or call 020 8980 7774 (Ext. 3)
Access requirements could include things like providing equipment, services or support (e.g. information in Easy Read, speech to text software, additional 1:1 support), adjusting workshop timings (e.g. more break times), adjustments to the event space (e.g. making sure you have a seat near the entrance) or anything else you can think of!
Transport Information
Opening hours: Wed-Sun, 10am to 4pm
Address: Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ
Nearest station(s): Bow Road (District and Hammersmith and City lines) is a 6-minute walk away, and Bow Church (DLR) is a 3-minute walk away.
Bus: 205, 25, 425, A8, D8, 108, 276, 488 and 8 all service the surrounding area.
Bike: Bicycle parking is located at Bow Church Station. The nearest Santander Cycles docking station is at Bow Church Station.
