Attilio Fiumarella

Photographer

British Subject

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An old British passport. After ...he United Kingdom and Colonies.

An old British passport.
After the British Nationality Act 1948, every person who was a British subject by virtue of a connection with the United Kingdom became a Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

Mr. Iqbal at Balsall Heath Carn...his face with the English flag.

Mr. Iqbal at Balsall Heath Carnival in Birmingham.
He painted his face with the English flag.

A woman passing by the New City... away in Smethwick, Birmingham.

A woman passing by the New City take away in Smethwick,
Birmingham.

My name is Asia Khan. I was bor... this very British Asian woman.

My name is Asia Khan.
I was born on June 1981 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Raised in the city, surrounded by beautiful people from all over world, diverse in its range. Birmingham is the second largest city in England. My parents migrated from Rawalpindi City, Pakistan, 45 years ago.
Pakistan got its own independence from India on the 14th August 1947 and the majority of Muslims migrated there.
My mother’s ancestors are from Iran, and migrated to India. My father’s parents are from Peshawar, Pakistan. My father was born in Rawalpindi City and my mother born in India but brought up in Rawalpindi City. We have come
a long way. Things have changed over the years and we have seen diversity increasing since World War II. People from all over the world have been adding value and uniqueness to the United Kingdom.
I am a British Asian Pakistani proud to mention my roots through my identity.
A positive attitude towards our roots allow us to connect with parents and family through our identity. After leaving school, I pursued further education at college then obtained a degree at university. I had many several jobs after qualifying. I then took different careers on board. These careers gave me skills and experiences I am now able to apply in my day to day life. Education and employment are important for us to make us the person we are. I met a lot of people along the way some which struggled and faced challenges in a variety of different issues and situations. These very experiences gave me the inspiration to write a film script depicting reality from the eyes of the traveller, which is this very British Asian woman.

Asia’s mother from a ...the UK. (Courtesy of Asia Khan)

Asia’s mother from a passport photo when she arrived in the UK.
(Courtesy of Asia Khan)

My name is Jill and this is my ...the legacy of strong womanhood.

My name is Jill and this is my husband Gareth and our two children, Rowan and Seren. I am half Egyptian Arab and half Caribbean (part black African, part Portuguese Jew and part Chinese Jamaican and Cuban heritage). My children are gifted with the additional element of being half Welsh. I tell my children they carry the world within them.
I often wonder about the universe… the many changes that
had to have happened within the lives of our ancestors who lived on different continents and then in our own lives, to enable me meeting Gareth that sunny December day in London. The photograph beside used to be hung on my grandmother’s wall. It was taken in Cuba around 1928- 1930. My great-grandfather at that time was a foreman on a Spanish owned plantation in Cuba. I love his proud stance. I imagine when I look at the photo the care that they would have taken in getting ready for the occasion of having their photograph taken. Locked within this photograph is a time that would come alive in the stories my grandmother told me; adding colour, texture, sounds and smells to people and the lands of Cuba and Jamaica that I will never known or know in the way my grandmother once knew. My grandmother, Onelia, came to the UK in the 1950s. A seamstress, she slept on floors until she could afford her own lodgings. She paved the way for other family members to come to the UK. She paid for the passage of my grandfather, a sibling and their
partner. It must have taken much personal sacrifice to do that! My grandmother was the last surviving member of my family born in the Caribbean Her story: the fun and hardships she endured continues to empower and anchor me emotionally to my mixed cultural heritage and the legacy of strong womanhood.

Jill’s grandmother On...0 ca. (Courtesy of Jill Morgan)

Jill’s grandmother Onelia and her parents, 1930 ca.
(Courtesy of Jill Morgan)

A graffiti from artist Mohammed.... It quotes an Arabian proverb.

A graffiti from artist Mohammed Ali in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.
It quotes an Arabian proverb.

A sign translated in different ...s in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

A sign translated in different Asian languages in Balsall Heath,
Birmingham.

The Jam-E-Masjid Qiblah Hadhrat Sahib Gulhar Shareef, Birmingham.

Mecca Bingo Club, Oldbury.

The back of mosque and community
centre in Aston, Birmingham.

A man outside a carpet store in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

Cecil Morris, founder of the fo...ethnic community in Birmingham.

Cecil Morris, founder of the former pirate Radio PCRL (People’s Community Radio Link). The radio operated since the 80’s, aimed to fill the lack of representation among the
ethnic community in Birmingham.

A clipping from the Evening Tel...adio. (Courtesy of Mickey Nold)

A clipping from the Evening Telegraph, Feb 10th 1988. The article make an update on the battle for the legalization of PCRL radio.
(Courtesy of Mickey Nold)

I am Anne-Marie Allen. I was bo...of state on 18th October 2018.

I am Anne-Marie Allen. I was born in Nuneaton, Leicestershire, UK. I live in Kings Heath, Birmingham. I went to university in Birmingham and trained as a teacher before completing my MA in Youth Work and Community Development. I now work as an Education Coordinator at The British Red Cross. In my free time I am a singer/songwriter, performing gigs whenever I can. My mother is from Leicestershire and my father was born in Jamaica. My father moved to the UK in 1962. In the portrait I am holding a magazine from Earl Chinn’s “Brummagem”, dated March 2014, in which my father has written about his life tilted “From Jamaica to Aston”. As a mixed race child growing up in the small town of Earl Shilton in Leicestershire, myself and my brother were one of the very few children at our School from ethnic minorities. This was often hard at times, however as we grew up we learned to embrace our culture and we are both extremely proud of our Jamaican heritage. I still have family back in Jamaica, and we are in most contact with our Auntie Maureen (who is also featured in the Brummagem article). Having lived and worked in Aston for many years, my Auntie Maureen decided to retire and move back to Jamaica to be closer to my grandparents a few years ago. Up until 2015, myself and my brother had not yet visited Jamaica or even met our Grandad Astley who lived out there with our grandma Edith. However, luckily myself and my brother had the wonderful privilege of meeting our Grandad when we made the trip over there in 2015. This was a very important trip for me in terms of connecting with my Jamaican roots and I was delighted to finally meet my grandad who I had heard so very much about. During this trip myself and my brother were also taken to see where our grandparents and our father grew up, this was a really moving experience and we were delighted to meet our grandad before he sadly passed away on September 2 2017. Our grandma Edith is still alive and lives near to my Auntie in the Mandeville area of Jamaica. I try to ring them every month, and my brother has recently had his first child, so he is planning to take her out to visit our grandma in Jamaica very soon. My father (Tony Allen) recently received his certificate of naturalization from the Secretary of state on 18th October 2018.

Postcard of Empire Windrush pur...1948. (Courtesy of Andrea Levy)

Postcard of Empire Windrush purchased by Winston Levy whilst on board, 1948.
(Courtesy of Andrea Levy)

My name’s Stephen Ma ... leave HK to be with my father.

My name’s Stephen Ma and I’m 23. I was born in Stoke Mandeville Hospital in a county called Hertfordshire, in the UK. I’m a photographer and when my portrait was taken I was living in Coventry in Humber Avenue. I am currently studying my Master in Communication abroad, in Gothenburg, Sweden. My parents moved over to the UK during the mid seventies. As Hong Kong citizens, they could move freely with the British/Hong Kong passport when UK colonised Hong Kong. It was difficult to find work in Hong Kong as it was so competitive. We have a lot of family there, almost 95%. I have been only 5 times in my life, and every time I visit I’m much older than before and it’s also apparent in the relatives I visit as they get older too. My cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, are all in HK. I don’t really know much about Hong Kong, so I guess my relationship with the Country is not too strong, but I want to discover more about it. I want to discover what my life would’ve been like if I grew up there. I speak Cantonese as my parents were speaking both English and Cantonese to me when I was younger. I actually don’t know too much about when my parents specifically moved to the UK but my dad did move over first and exchanged a lot of letters with my mother back and forth until she could fully leave HK to be with my father.

Birmingham Buddhist Vihara.

Shree Geeta Bhawan, an Hindu te...h, Heathfield Road, Birmingham.

Shree Geeta Bhawan, an Hindu temple in the former St George’s Church, Heathfield Road, Birmingham.

Wat Santiwongsaram in Handswort...the back of the adjacents lots.

Wat Santiwongsaram in Handsworth Wood Road, Birmingham. The temple occupy the back of the adjacents lots.

The portal of a Chinese superstore in Nechells, Birmingham.

A Bangladeshi style Rickshaw in... at asian wedding celebrations.

A Bangladeshi style Rickshaw in Winson Green, Birmingham.
It would be normally used at asian wedding celebrations.

Mr. Mohammed Arif from Adil&... was served in 1978”.

Mr. Mohammed Arif from Adil’s Restaurant in Balsall Heath in Birmingham. According to The New York Times, “is thought to be the place where the first Balti curry was served in 1978”.

Worshippers at Gurdwara Akal Bu...d glass work of the old church.

Worshippers at Gurdwara Akal Bunga Sahib in Smethwick, Birmingham. The temple keeps the stained glass work of the old church.

The Mughal-e-Azam Restaurant in... Spark Hill Church, Birmingham.

The Mughal-e-Azam Restaurant in the Old Spark Hill Church, Birmingham.

An Indian catering truck with a...m the Taj Mahal, Wolverhampton.

An Indian catering truck with an image from the Taj Mahal, Wolverhampton.

A commemorative cake from a swe... in Stratford Road, Birmingham.

A commemorative cake from a sweet shop in Stratford Road, Birmingham.

The door of the Ukim Dawah mosque in Alum Rock, Birmingham.

Revised page of the atlas Lands and Peoples from 1972.

PLAY

STOP

GRID

FULL

LOVE

Thumbnail of An old British passport. After t_the United Kingdom and Colonies.

Thumbnail of Mr. Iqbal at Balsall Heath Carni_ his face with the English flag.

Thumbnail of A woman passing by the New City _e away in Smethwick, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of My name is Asia Khan. I was born_s this very British Asian woman.

Thumbnail of Asia’s mother from a p_ the UK. (Courtesy of Asia Khan)

Thumbnail of My name is Jill and this is my h_ the legacy of strong womanhood.

Thumbnail of Jill’s grandmother One_30 ca. (Courtesy of Jill Morgan)

Thumbnail of A graffiti from artist Mohammed _m. It quotes an Arabian proverb.

Thumbnail of A sign translated in different A_es in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of The Jam-E-Masjid Qiblah Hadhrat Sahib Gulhar Shareef, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of The back of mosque and community centre in Aston, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of A man outside a carpet store in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of Cecil Morris, founder of the for_ ethnic community in Birmingham.

Thumbnail of A clipping from the Evening Tele_radio. (Courtesy of Mickey Nold)

Thumbnail of I am Anne-Marie Allen. I was bor_ of state on 18th October 2018.

Thumbnail of Postcard of Empire Windrush purc_ 1948. (Courtesy of Andrea Levy)

Thumbnail of My name’s Stephen Ma a_y leave HK to be with my father.

Thumbnail of Birmingham Buddhist Vihara.

Thumbnail of Shree Geeta Bhawan, an Hindu tem_ch, Heathfield Road, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of Wat Santiwongsaram in Handsworth_ the back of the adjacents lots.

Thumbnail of The portal of a Chinese superstore in Nechells, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of A Bangladeshi style Rickshaw in _d at asian wedding celebrations.

Thumbnail of Mr. Mohammed Arif from Adil&_y was served in 1978”.

Thumbnail of Worshippers at Gurdwara Akal Bun_ed glass work of the old church.

Thumbnail of The Mughal-e-Azam Restaurant in _d Spark Hill Church, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of An Indian catering truck with an_om the Taj Mahal, Wolverhampton.

Thumbnail of A commemorative cake from a swee_p in Stratford Road, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of The door of the Ukim Dawah mosque in Alum Rock, Birmingham.

Thumbnail of Revised page of the atlas Lands and Peoples from 1972.

Public Project

British Subject

Date of Work Jan 2014 - Feb 2019

Updated Dec 2019

Location England

Topics Buddhism, Community, Documentary, Editorial, Environment, Faith, Family, Film, Freedom, Hinduism, Historical, Immigration, Interior, Islam, Lifestyle, Migration, Mixed Medium, Photography, Politics, Portraiture, Religion, Sikhism, Spirituality

The status ‘British Subject’ was mainly used between 1949 and 1982 for citizens from the Commonwealth. After changes in legislation, the term became obsolete and was replaced with ‘British Citizen’.
The title of this work, refers specifically to second generation British citizens. It also alludes to Subject as a matter, or a topic of British nature. The new generation of Britain grew up at the intersection of ‘subject’ and ‘citizen.’ This work portrays their complex cultural identities; partly tied to their parents’ heritage and partly to the place where they were raised. It explores the shifting social landscape between the old England and the new one.
This work is meant to challenge the audience on the meaning of identity and belonging in the climate of cultural convergence we live in. The work is supported with documents, personal stories and images. It takes multiple approaches to capture the essence of a complex and multilayered subject. I focused on the most prominent groups with backgrounds from the former colonies. The establishment and contribution of these communities is visible in the many aspects that define the social and cultural landscape, including music, art, food, architecture, fashion, and faith.
My work gives special emphasis to these moments in the social landscape where both cultural heritages are visible and maintain a certain balance between themselves.

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