What?

We Are Here Because You Were There (2022-24) is an art work in the form of a lightbox restaurant sign by artist Faisal Hussain (b. 1977).

The title is a quote from Sri Lankan-British writer and activist Ambalavaner Sivanandan. It explores patterns of migration following British colonial occupation.

Sivanandan was a pivotal figure in the fight for equality within the UK. 

Who?

Faisal Hussain is a Birmingham based interdisciplinary artist, who explores representations of South Asian culture through popular media and government messaging. 

Why?

In the aftermath of colonial rule, promises of security led many South Asian people to emigrate to Britain, finding new communities in the industrial West Midlands. 

This piece was first exhibited on a street near the artist’s home in Birmingham. Hussain’s shop signs interrupt the British street with assertive messages.

These make explicit colonial histories and politics underlying the restaurants and independent businesses at the centre of our communities. 

Visit Faisal’s website