PHOTO EXHIBITION AT BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY New Middle Eastern Photography ‘True to Life?’

Le retour imaginere series, 2002 by Atiq Rahimi / © the artist / Victoria & Albert Museum, London

True to Life?- ‘New Photography from the Middle East’ encourages visitors to question the authenticity of what appears to be represented in photography, and explores what is real, staged or imaginary.

The exhibition features a selection of loaned works from the British Museum and Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum’s fascinating collection of major names and emerging talents in photography from the Middle East. These will be shown alongside works from Birmingham’s own collection. From Tunisia to Iran, True to Life? takes visitors on a journey investigating the role of photography in the Middle East and considers debates surrounding migration and the representation of women.

Rebecca Bridgman, Curator of Islamic & South Asian Art at Birmingham Museums comments; “We are delighted to be displaying this incredible collection of photography to our visitors. The exhibition showcases one of the most exciting artistic mediums emerging from the Middle East, providing an insight into the region’s rapidly-evolving social and political landscapes.

Saida in Green, 2000 by Hassan Hajjaj / © the artist / Victoria & Albert Museum, London

From the series Mother of Martyrs, 2006 by Newsha Tavakolian / © the artist / Victoria & Albert Museum, London

The Art Fund Collection of Middle Eastern Photography was a 2011 Art Fund initiative for the British Museum and V&A to acquire a collection of 20th century and contemporary photography and digital images by artist from the Middle East (whether living in their countries of origin or outside). The Art Fund gave the two museums grants over £150,000 for the collection and additional support for the tour of the collection.

Stephen Deuchar, director of the Art Fund, said; “This initiative by the Birmingham curators responds brilliantly to the diversity of the city’s young public. We are very pleased to see this important collection being deployed in such an imaginative way.”

From the series Qajar, 1998 by Shadi Ghadirian / © the artist / Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Entry to the exhibition is free of charge (activities and events may incur an additional charge). For more information visit http://www.bmag.org.uk

The exhibition will run until November 2, 2014.