New exhibition and installation in Wakefield explore the notion of home, identity and belonging

Both the installation and the exhibition developed out of Kaur’s ongoing project ‘where is home’, a question that is central to her creative practice and one which has never been more timely or relevant. The Art House is a Studio of Sanctuary, running a programme that brings together refugees and asylum seekers with local residents for weekly Talk and Draw sessions in which they work creatively in partnership and learn about each other. “Permindar was inspired by our status as a Studio of Sanctuary and she wanted to work with community groups to explore those questions about home,” says Damon Jackson-Waldock programme director at the Art House who invited Kaur to undertake a residency with the organisation over the summer of 2022. “She also decided to spend some time with two early career artists who both have experience of displacement and who are involved in working with our studio, to facilitate workshops and discussions with our refugee and asylum seeker community. Together they talked about safety and about things they associated with feeling safe.”

Inspired by those conversations, Kaur came up with the idea of beds and furniture as a starting point for the installation. There were discussions around how beds are different across the world and the notion of how something can be both comforting and sinister at the same time. Informed by these workshop sessions, Kaur then worked with textile artist and printmaker Abdulateef and poet, architect and DJ Abebe who brought their combined multidisciplinary approach to the project. The resulting Dream Runner sculpture takes the form of a 2.5m long sleeping pod on legs that suggests both a place of protection and a menacing alien creature, inviting the viewer to consider questions around the privileges of safety and sanctuary.

For Kaur making the piece brought something new to her creative practice. “She has collaborated before but not in this way of co-creating work with people with different lived experience and with early career artists,” says Jackson-Waldock. “All three artists say they have learnt so much from each other. And Permindar has said how much she valued working with the community groups. She has said that her next exhibition is going to be inspired by all the meetings and conversations she had during her residency in Wakefield.” The response to the installation from the public has been very positive so far. “We have had some great feedback from diverse audiences,” says Jackson-Waldock. “The Cathedral has played such an important role in the work that Wakefield does as a City of Sanctuary so it felt like the right place for the sculpture to go.”

In the Outgrown exhibition, Kaur has explored the notion of private and public spaces by transforming the Art House gallery into a private home, playfully blurring the boundaries between domestic settings and places of work. Through the use of childlike objects and everyday items Kaur touches on themes of cultural identity, home and belonging. “There are some brilliant new pieces that have never been shown before – she has created scaled-down kitchens and Lego-like small pieces,” says Jackson-Waldock. “There are different rooms within the gallery itself – such as bedroom, playroom, kitchen. And this is the first time that Permindar has worked in 2D print – she was inspired by the Art House print studio while she was staying here. It is interesting to see how she has translated her work onto paper.” The themes of the exhibition and of the installation – safety, home, belonging, identity – fit well with the important work that the Art House does with refugees, asylum seekers and local residents year-round. “In everything we do here, we don’t see any barriers between the gallery space and the community,” says Jackson-Waldock. “It is a place where everyone is welcome, which is why having somebody like Permindar working with our communities has been an incredible experience for everybody.”

At Wakefield Cathedral and The Art House until November 13.