Launch of Outside In exhibition in Glasgow

Launch of Outside In exhibition in Glasgow

What – and who – makes a community, a neighbourhood, a country? How do different communities shape one another? 

More often than not, the answer to those questions involves migration, and that is certainly the case for Scotland. Through a migrant-led photography exhibition, we aim to explore the fluidity of borders and identities to investigate how people from different countries bring the world to Scotland.

As hostile rhetoric around migration continues to dominate, this exhibition is an opportunity to focus on how deeply migration has connected different corners of the globe. From helping establish the first football league outside of Britain, in Argentina, to the gold rush in New Zealand in the 19th century, Scottish influence – including through colonisation – can be seen across continents in the many places that Scots call home. Conversely, Scotland was the destination for people from Pakistan who were recruited to cover labour shortages in the NHS and several manufacturing industries; and more recently for Iranians who seek asylum due to religious and political persecution. Scotland has also welcomed Kurds who have established community hubs, women’s groups, university societies, shops, and restaurants.

Throughout history, Scotland has been shaped by stories of migration in complex ways, and we believe there is a need to represent these stories in art and culture spaces. The diversity of migrants and our traditions, knowledge, and skills enrich our society, contributing to a Scotland that is more dynamic, inclusive, and just  - for everyone.

In this context, Outside In showcases 11 triptychs (sets of three photos) and 16 portraits, alongside mini-notes about Scottish links with other countries and about migrant communities in Scotland. Across the exhibition, we have 25 migrant communities represented from the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

Sofi Taylor, one of the people featured in the portraits, and a trustee of Migrant Voice, shared that she was “born in a British colony now known as Malaysia”. She arrived in Scotland in 1973; “like many young women from the Commonwealth countries, I was recruited by the UK to train as a health worker in Scotland.” During her decades in the UK, she has been campaigning for women’s and migrant’s rights and equal access to mental health support.

Scotland has been part of Jenny Bhatia’s family history for several generations. “My grandfather’s family migrated from Scotland to Canada in the early 1900s,” she shared. “I was born in Canada, met my husband in England, and we moved to Scotland. We even lived near Kilwinning once, close to my great-grandparents’ homeplace.”

Migrants have also shaped and contributed through arts and culture. Nigerian-born artist Mobo hopes to create a more inclusive music industry, by working with up-and-coming ethnic minority artists in hip-hop.

More than a celebration of migrant stories, Outside In calls us to embrace the diversity that defines Scotland’s past, present, and future. By amplifying migrant voices, it allows for reflection on how migration weaves through different fields, from fashion to medicine and sports.

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Our exhibition is launching on Friday, 6th December, from 6 pm, and you can sign up for the event here. We hope you will join us for this early celebration to mark International Migrants Day (which takes place officially on 18 December); learn more about how migrants have shaped Scotland, and meet the project team, photographers, and those portrayed in the exhibition. We’ll also hear from a variety of speakers and enjoy performances by migrant poets. The exhibition will be open until 21 February 2025, at Maryhill Burgh Halls (24 Gairbraid Ave, Glasgow, G20 8YE).

Outside In is part of our Putting Ourselves in the Picture project, which aims to ensure that migrant heritage is documented and recognised as part of Scotland’s heritage. We’re grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this project possible with their generous funding, and to everyone who contributed their time, skills, and knowledge to bring this exhibition to life. For more information contact [email protected].

Featured in the photos: Oana, a Romanian-born expert in Chinese martial arts and self-defence instructor (top left, photo by Hing Fung Teh). Oksana, a soprano singer and choir conductor from Ukraine (bottom left, photo by Polina Perfilieva). Mobo, a Nigerian artist based in Scotland (right, photo by Osama Daffalla).