I Am Who I Am Now explored the history of East London's Bengali community over the past 50 years. Drawn from the Bengali Photo Archive, a collection of vernacular and documentary photos donated by locals and photographers, the exhibition revealed how family life, community spaces and local experiences intersect with the wider social and political history of the area.
With a participatory curatorial approach, the personal photographs were set alongside work by photographers like Raju Vaidyanathan, Mayar Akash, David Hoffman and Paul Trevor, who documented the community’s daily lives, activism and anti-racist struggles. Oral histories and collaborative works, such as embroidered photographs created by local families, added intimate perspectives on identity and community history in the East End.
The exhibition concluded the collaborative archive project, a partnership between Four Corners, Swadhinata Trust, and Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives. Since then, the archive has received an award for community engagement and continues to share its lessons and reflections through conferences, publications, and workshops.
The Bengali Photo Archive
A rare archive that celebrates the history of the Bengali community in Tower Hamlets and a living testament to its enduring spirit.
What started as a small collaborative project, inviting families, individuals, organisations, and photographers to submit their stories and photographs, became an extended and valuable resource documenting the community through multiple perspectives.
Through the work of 25 volunteers and the generosity of the Tower Hamlets Bengali community, the archive amassed over 4,600 photographs and 18 oral histories. The collection documents everyday life, community activism, work and commerce, housing, arts and music, and youth culture over several decades.
The archive is available for research, education and public engagement, and Four Corners currently manages it via your humble correspondent. It is fully accessible online and will be permanently housed at Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives.
