Simon Soumati
TransManche
Zoom In, the Clapham-based photography centre, continues its exhibition
programme for 2003 with ‘TransManche,’ a show about asylum
and immigration by photographer Simon Soumati, which opens (ironically
enough!) on St George’s Day.
Soumati’s work begins with the personal, approaching issues of nationality
and culture by looking at the exodus of his father’s family from
Morocco at the end of the 1960s. Stimulated by the cultural distinctions
between Morocco and the UK, Soumati aims to move beyond depicting ‘foreignness’ as
an object of curiosity, and seeks to focus on the common ground between
cultures.
‘
TransManche’ is a new piece of work which develops these themes.
In its images of the Sangatte camp for asylum seekers in northern France,
TransManche looks at the contradictions in the media’s approach to
the issue of immigration, and examines the dangers of a culture which is
constantly making distinctions between the ‘deserving ‘ and
the ‘undeserving’ immigrant.
‘TransManche’ runs from 23rd April to 3rd June 2003.
Notes for Editors:
1) Simon Soumati
For more information about Simon Soumati, please call 07815 306 762, or email
simonsoumati@hotmail.com
Simon Soumati was runner-up for the Tom Gower Memorial Prize 2002. He has held
acclaimed exhibitions at:
Beverley Art Gallery
Ferens Art Gallery, Hull
The Observatory, Nottingham Trent University
The Bonnington Gallery, Nottingham Trent University
‘
Contemporary Islam’, Crescent Arts, Scarborough.
Forthcoming exhibitions will include ‘A Plea to Somewhere Else’,
at Bury Art Gallery from 10th May to 12th July 2003.
2) Zoom In
Zoom In was founded in 1997 by photographers Rose Butler and Maedhbhina McCombe.
Their ambition was to create the best not-for-profit darkroom in London, making
photography accessible and affordable for all.
Zoom In offers a range of photography courses for adults, an outreach
programme for young people, and an exhibition programme hosted by
the Bread and Roses Pub (see www.breadandrosespub.co.uk).
Zoom In currently runs 8 solo photographic shows per year, changing the exhibition
every 6 weeks.
For more information about Zoom In, contact 020 7720 7437 or see
www.zoom-in.org.
