Andy Barnham and Sara de Jong document the experiences of Afghan interpreters resettled to the UK.
We Are Here, Because You Were There: Afghan Interpreters in the UK is a collaborative project by photographer Andy Barnham and researcher Sara de Jong, which documents the experiences of Afghan interpreters who were employed by the British Army in Afghanistan between 2004 and 2021, and resettled to the UK in 2021. This exhibition tells the interpreters’ experiences of employment and resettlement through portraiture and quotes, and photographs from Afghanistan.
We Are Here, Because You Were There centres Afghan interpreters’ own stories and invites viewers to engage with the individuals, their families and the human stories behind the headlines. These stories and images are Barnham and de Jong’s attempt to bring to life the structural and lasting impact of Britain’s foreign policy, military practices, and immigration policies. Starting with the British Empire’s colonial intervention in Afghanistan, the exhibition also shows a timeline of Anglo-Afghan relations, which reflects on the historical and present entanglements between the two countries.
Dates
16 February to 4 May 2024
Admission
FREE entry
Find out more about the exhibition on Impressions website here.
Impressions Gallery are also hosting two events in relation to this exhibition: a talk on the 18 April and an artist talk on the 27 April - find out more using the links.
Photo credit: '002 We Are Here' and '002 Schoolboys', 2022 © Andy Barnham and Sara de Jong