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Talking circle: The Road to Nowhere presents – show and tell from the diaspora
Saturday 22nd October 2022 , 11:00am to 1:00pm
How do objects pass down memory? What stories do they tell? How can they inform our identities? These are the questions The Road to Nowhere will be exploring in this show and tell centring around the stories, memories, and archival powers that objects hold for people in the diaspora.
As children of diaspora, objects and stories have been a vital source for contextualising our places in society and as comfort. They can teach us about our personal histories and shape how we define ourselves in the present.
Using this as a starting point, The Road to Nowhere invite you to participate in a talking circle where you can share with the group an item that is significant to your own notion of identity. This could be anything, from an item of clothing, a piece of jewellery or a book, all the way over to a toy, a household object, a piece of art, and so on. It could also be something metaphysical, like a story, a poem, a recipe, a song, a dance, a ritual, or a prayer.
The Road to Nowhere particularly encourage folks to bring something that asks us to think more widely about forms of archiving and storytelling. As significant and important as photographs are as a form of storytelling and archive, they invite you to bring an object which can tell a story without direct or literal reference. But, this is just a suggestion!
Please try to limit yourself to one object per person in order to allow each participant enough time. We welcome you to bring your notepad and pen, but we will also provide these for you. You’ll be encouraged to write throughout the session, but exercises will mostly consist of talking and listening.
This event is open to people with a history of migration, in the broadest sense.
(Concession rate applies to students, over 65s, under 18s, Bow Arts artists, National Art Pass members, and key workers)
More about The Road to Nowhere
Interested in routes and roots, The Road to Nowhere is an annual print magazine, digital platform and agency founded by British-Iraqi editor and journalist, Dalia Al-Dujaili. It was born – like many DIY creative projects – in lockdown 2020 out of frustration at the lack of authentic representations of second-generation immigrants, ‘third-culture kids’, and diaspora in the arts and creative industries. Its intention is to celebrate and scrutinise the global nature of our communities and what identity really constitutes. They run workshops, screenings and panel talks all with the intent of dissecting what it means to be in-between cultures through creative means.
More about Dalia Al-Dujaili
Dalia Al-Dujaili is an Iraqi-British writer, editor and producer based in London. She’s the Digital Editor of Azeema, Founder of The Road to Nowhere, a columnist at This Orient, and a freelance journalist with bylines in the Guardian, Huck, Cosmopolitan Middle East, Riposte, Elephant Art, Trippin’, It’s Nice That and more. She also works with organisations such as Counterpoints Arts and the Migrant Rights Network, supporting migrant voices through the arts and media.
Access information
The Bow Arts Trust office has 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 but blue badge parking can be found 500m away on Fairfield Road.
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)
Transport Information
Address: Bow Arts Trust, 183 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.
