Pioneers: Anisha Parmar

What does your work involve? 

I am a jewellery designer, artist, curator and project producer, who creates handcrafted jewellery inspired by my lived experience of the South Asian diaspora.

Storytelling and narrative are at the heart of my practice, and I see jewellery as a powerful tool to unlock histories and tell personal stories. My own work draws heavily on the story of my family migrating from India to East Africa and then to the UK, reimagining their identity in a foreign land.

Stemming from my own family history, I have been fascinated by other diaspora oral histories with links to adornment, identity, decolonisation and reclamation.

What inspires you? 

Growing up in a Gujarati, Indian, Hindu, East African, British amalgamated household, gold was integral.

Adornment decked our home, from statues and idols to gold-embellished paintings and ornaments; wherever you looked there was a carefully adorned nook. I remember going to the gold jewellery shops with my mum on Ealing Road in Wembley, and playing with my grandmother’s jewellery.

Gold is so commonplace for us that we overlook the incredible stories, memories and histories these pieces evoke, especially within the South Asian diaspora in the UK. Whenever I feel a creative block, I pull out these special heirlooms for inspiration.

What message would you give to the next generation? 

Being a creative may not be seen as the ‘norm’, especially when you come from a South Asian background. If it is the thing that makes you happy and is integral to who you are, though, follow that calling, because you’ll see it pay off through hard work and focus.

Take time to nurture your creativity, give it the time and space it needs to grow. Rest deeply and as much as you need to, and build in wellbeing and support throughout your work and personal journey