In correspondence to my previous post looking at identity, I want to discuss Mahtab Hussain’s practice “You get me?” The practice mixes class, and racial identities, and encapsulates the two perfectly. The photographs mainly take place throughout London, Nottingham and Birmingham, examining South Asian Muslim men living in contemporary Britain.
It highlights the issues these men have with their sense of self, and belonging, an important process of which a multi-cultural identity will face. As mentioned on Hussain’s website, the men expressed their feeling of being ridiculed by the media representations of the lives they live. It acknowledges the identities of which these men have taken, and the fact that all of them have adopted some form of Britishness.
It is important that this project is acknowledged, it depicts 21st century young men and boys so well, and creates strong narrative of the crosses within cultures. The set-up of the images are well thought out, and beautifully composed, it speaks clearly about class and race.
You get me and more publications can be viewed here.
Tyler Bishop-Harris 