After two years of working closely with a wide range of multicultural and minority community groups across Worcester, BCVA director and artist Anand Chhabra installed the exhibition “Moving to the City” at The Hive in Worcester as part of his Arts Council England-funded residency.
The project explored migration, identity and belonging in the city through a collaborative process with local residents. Participants contributed photographs and stories reflecting their experiences of living and working in Worcester, resulting in a body of work that was co-created with the community.
During the development of the exhibition, the presentation of the work evolved significantly. What was initially planned as a series of framed photographs displayed on the wall grew into a much larger installation. The final exhibition features large portrait panels measuring 6 x 4 feet, incorporating and layering images created by community participants. In total, over 3,600 photographs contributed by the community were incorporated into the installation.
The scale of the exhibition space at The Hive encouraged this creative shift, allowing the artist to experiment with a more immersive presentation that could engage visitors more directly. The resulting installation offers a striking visual representation of the many stories and identities that shape the city.
This approach reflects the value of giving artists the time and creative freedom needed to respond to a space and develop new ways of presenting their work. The exhibition also provided opportunities for visitors to respond to the project through feedback in the visitor book and during the forthcoming celebration event, helping to inform future community-engaged creative projects.
Final touches for the installation of exhibtion ‘Moving to the City’ artwork and curation by Anand Chhabra/Arts Council England funded
Close up view of work created by community groups and superimposed on the portraits created by © Anand Chhabra/Arts Council England Funded