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Mathushaa Sagthidas presents: Not Just Brown, Not Just Indian

Rising photographer Mathushaa Sagthidas just unveiled her powerful, evocative and representative exhibition, Not Just Brown, Not Just Indian at The Lab at Oaklands Rise – a community space, café and arts centre, enabling and facilitating a programme of arts, workshops, and events.

Mathushaa Sagthidas is a Tamil British photographer who is a viral internet sensation, as well as having her photography featured by gal-dem, Campaign Live, Its Nice That, Glass Magazine, and more. The exhibition features 18 photographs demonstrating the multiplicity of traditions, histories and identities in South Asia. 

The exhibition opens ahead of South Asian Heritage month, beginning on the 18th of July. This year, the annual international festival focuses on the theme, ‘Stories to Tell…’ which is all about celebrating the stories that make up the diverse and vibrant South Asian community.  

The exhibition entitled, Not Just Brown, Not Just Indian, comes from the artist’s own lived experience as an Eelam Tamil woman, as she is often assumed to be Indian as if it were the only country to exist in South Asia. Others involved in the project, from models to makeup artists to artistic directors, shared these experiences where they felt their distinct and diverse cultures and traditions were classed as one.  

Working with various South Asian women from their respective countries, Sagthidas wanted to show parts of their stories, especially during South Asian Heritage Month where their stories could be amplified and told.  

Mathushaa Sagthidas is a London based freelance photographer, stylist, set designer and art director. She studied at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL. with interest in fine art and contemporary fashion. Mathushaa’s work often examines her identity – Tamil Eelam ethnicity and British nationality, which is reflected through traditions, history and fashion photography.  

Her photography work spans a range of brands including AmazonWolf & BadgerFashion UnitedDeezer and Bloomsbury; publications such as Creative LivesGlass MagazineThe Photographer’s Gallerygal-demTHIIIRD MagazineCampaign LiveIt’s Nice That, The British Library and Graduate Fashion Week and exhibitions such as Tate BritainPhotoFusionBBH LondonLake Gallery, Camberwell Space Gallery, Rankin x Maryland Studio, including billboards across the UK and in London Bridge Station.  

Mathushaa Sagthidas

The exhibition runs from Thursday 27th April 2023 – Thursday 17th August 2023 , 10:00am to 4:00pm at The Lab at Oaklands Rise, for full image credits, visit www.mathushaasagthidasphotography.co.uk