Preserving Memory Through Photography – A Conversation on Heritage and Identity
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In this Spotlight on Heritage episode, Bashir shares family photographs that trace journeys from India and Africa to the UK. We explore photography as a social record, preserving memory, identity, and culture across generations. Listen now on Soar Sound.
Spotlight on Heritage returns to the Basement Gallery at Leicester’s Adult Education Centre during the closing days of the DocPhoto 8 exhibition. While the exhibition has been about showcasing new work from contemporary photographers, today’s conversation takes us on a different journey—a personal archive that spans continents, cultures, and decades.
John Coster and Rob Watson are joined by photographer Tony Shelley and special guest Bashir, who stopped by the gallery earlier in the week and revealed a remarkable connection to the exhibition theme. Bashir brought with him a collection of family photographs—small, modest prints stored away for years—that speak volumes about the lives they capture. From scenes of family life in India and Africa to early years in the UK, these images offer a window into a world of migration, community, and resilience.
Bashir recalls how his father introduced him to photography with a simple box camera. Later, a Minolta became his tool for recording moments that mattered, long before the convenience of digital images and instant sharing. As he explains, photography was never just about pictures—it was an expensive and deliberate act, a way of documenting relationships and cultural practices for future generations.
The conversation also touches on the deeper significance of these photographs. They are more than visual records; they are social documents that capture not just faces and places but values, aspirations, and lived realities. Tony reflects on the importance of annotation—the handwritten notes that Bashir carefully added to the back of his prints. Without them, stories risk being lost to time, leaving gaps in the narrative of family and community life.
As Rob points out, in an age where every moment is digitally documented, perhaps what we miss most is the space to reflect—to revisit and reimagine our past through tangible photographs and the conversations they spark.
This episode asks us to consider: What role do personal photographs play in shaping our understanding of heritage? How can we ensure these fragments of memory continue to speak across generations? And what can they teach us about the interconnectedness of culture, migration, and identity?
Listen to the full conversation to hear Bashir’s remarkable stories and insights, and to reflect on the value of photography—not just as art, but as a bridge between past, present, and future.
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