Essential Information Type Free displays Location National Maritime Museum Date and Times Open daily | 10am-5pm Prices Free Plan your visit to the National Maritime Museum Part of the Season of Identity As part of Royal Museums Greenwich’s first celebration connected to South Asian Heritage Month, the Museum commissioned Mehala Ford, founder of CommonGround&, to respond to the representation of South Asian history and culture in the National Maritime Museum. The result is a series of portraits of South Asian creative individuals, photographed around historic Greenwich and displayed on the Great Map of the National Maritime Museum. (Photographed by Alia Romagnoli) From musicians and artists to writers, entrepreneurs, directors and designers, all these people are pioneers: breaking new ground and inspiring a renaissance in South Asian creativity. The display is free and open to everyone at the National Maritime Museum. Hear more from the 'Pioneers' during the series of talks and workshops throughout October and November: 1 November: 'I Am Not A Doctor' - a Pioneers panel discussion 11 November: Diwali Meet the Pioneers Scroll through the gallery of see all the images on display. 1 / 38 GoldTooth DJ, producer, radio presenter "I draw my inspiration primarily from the Asian underground movement. This was born in the 90s through iconic artists fusing their British & Asian identities. Music was a way of helping them find their place within society; one that at the time was ridden with racism, driven by organisations such as the National Front." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 2 / 38 Rahemur Rahman Fashion designer "The formidable women who taught me before university are the only reason I have achieved anything. The world needs more people who care about those around them, the planet they walk on and get nourishment from." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 3 / 38 Sachini Imbuldeniya Creative director, founder of Studio Pi "I live and breathe what I do. Work should never feel like work, it should feel like an extension of yourself and the things that you enjoy. Once you’ve got to that point, you’ve nailed it." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 4 / 38 Hyphen Rapper, musician "I was really conscious of my own mortality and made me think, ‘Do I want to be on my death bed and regret what I could have done with my life?' Ultimately you want to look back and say, ‘I lived a life I’m really proud of’. You should try to do what you can to make that happen." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 5 / 38 Almass Badat DJ, curator and creative director "I am inspired by the everyday and our truest, simplest and yet sometimes hardest-to-grasp human experiences. I am most surprised when I realise I am unknowingly inspired by knowledge, traditions and practices passed down through the women in my family!" Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 6 / 38 Reuben Christian Podcast host, facilitator, coach "My work is all about inspiring new possibilities and my style is radically human. I embrace my unpolished self and prioritise our shared humanity over social and professional hierarchies. Prioritise self-knowledge, gratitude and building community. Modern society talks a lot about doing things alone, but life is too challenging to stay isolated." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 7 / 38 Aaron Christian Film director, founder of The Asian Man, podcast host "Think about your career or your skill set as a long-term thing, as a marathon rather than a sprint. When you do that you take the pressure off trying to win immediately. You then start to enjoy the journey a little bit more." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 8 / 38 Anisha Parmar Jewellery designer "Growing up in a Gujarati, Indian, Hindu, East African, British amalgamated household, gold was integral. Adornment decked our home: from statues, idols, gold-embellished paintings and ornaments- wherever you looked there was a carefully adorned nook." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 9 / 38 Alia Romagnoli Photographer "Growing up in Karnataka, India, I have always found everyday life the most inspiring and is what I look to when creating work. The flower markets, architecture, food, mythology, folk art and fashion all weave their way into my practice." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 10 / 38 Sharan Dhaliwal Founder of Burnt Roti magazine, Middlesex Pride and Oh Queer Cupid "My biggest inspiration was, and still is, frustration. It’s frustration about the lack of support for vulnerable people. For people of colour, queer people, trans people, disabled people. I find my inspiration comes from wanting significant change. Every project I've created has the goal of raising voices and building community unity, so this frustration is quietened." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 11 / 38 Mim Shaikh Actor "To the next generation I would say learn everything you can about the people who came before you, become students, take all the information in, and go and blaze your own paths to greatness. You will do it even better than the people who did it before you." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 12 / 38 Arthi Nachiappan DJ, dancer, journalist "Building a connection with others who love the sounds I do is what keeps me going. I don’t believe there is a place for pretension in clubbing and dance music, so I feel inspired by those who are working to create open, joyful and inclusive spaces for people to explore music and be free." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 13 / 38 Tabitha Mary Beauty content creator "As a young girl I always wanted to pursue modelling, but growing up in a Tamil household the idea of this was firmly shut down. It never felt like a real option. I started putting myself out there more. This went hand in hand with giving modelling another go. I’ve not looked back since and do it full time now." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 14 / 38 Namalee Bolle Transpersonal transcultural psychotherapist, artist, stylist "My family and early life experiences are a big inspiration as well as my multiracial Sri Lankan/Dutch Jewish heritage. My mum always inspired my fashion career with her incredible style and bold sense of colour." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 15 / 38 Shamil and Kavi Thakrar Founders of Dishoom Restaurants "As part of the South Asian community, we’re so much more visible than we have been historically. We are now more willing to use our voices, to be who we are. We think this is worth building on and the more we do this as ourselves, the richer it is for us and for the country, too." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 16 / 38 Harpz Kaur Radio presenter "Growing up I didn’t have many people to look up to as I never saw many people who looked like me on screen or sounded like me on the radio. The few people I could look up to gave me hope that it could also happen to someone like me! Believe in yourself – no dream is too big." Read the full profile Photographer: Taran Wilkhu 17 / 38 Neo 10Y Musician "There are no artists like me, who are doing what I am doing, and that void in the entertainment landscape also inspired me to be a vessel for spiritual expansion through the medium of music." Read the full profile Photographer: Taran Wilkhu 18 / 38 Rav Matharu Fashion designer "I am constantly inspired by the past, researching different eras and bringing them into the modern world with a contemporary lens on what I believe luxury menswear to be. Find your own perspective and interpretation of what you do and work hard to make that something that has a unique voice within the industry." Read the full profile Photographer: Taran Wilkhu 19 / 38 Sheerah Ravindran Model "Modelling has allowed me to be visible as a dark-skinned Tamil Queer person, to use my body as a concept/idea/art and to collaborate with creatives, as well as helping create a platform and community for myself, where I can explore issue that are important to me." Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 20 / 38 Parle Patel Comedian, presenter "Understand that your views, ideas and lived experience bring nuance to a general narrative. It's okay to be whoever you are and wherever you are on your own journey, be it as an artist or simply a human on this planet." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 21 / 38 Suren Seneviratne DJ, musician, model "Part of my inspiration has, strangely, been the lack of South Asian visibility in the professional spaces I’ve inhabited for so long. Brown people have generally been a minority in the arts, but the tide has finally changed, and the collective force of our talents is finally being championed like never before." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 22 / 38 Bolly Illusion Drag artist "I incorporate my South Asian heritage into all my performances by dancing to music and beats from my culture, which includes songs in Malayalam (my mother tongue) and Tamil, as these are the songs me and my family grew up listening to at parties and community functions." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 23 / 38 Leyya Sattar Entrepreneur, founder of The Other Box "While people talk about generational trauma, I want to recognise the generational strength that has shaped my existence. It is a testament to the unwavering resilience of my family and ancestors, who faced immense adversity, carving a path for me to be here in this moment." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 24 / 38 Mathushaa Sagthidas Photographer "Creating projects with my Amma (mum) gave me the space and opportunity to ask questions so openly about our history, which helped me figure out who I am as a creative and the messages I wanted my work to have. It helped me become comfortable and unquestionable in the creative I was becoming. Thank you Amma." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 25 / 38 DAYTIMERS DJs: Zar, Darama, yourboykiran DJ collective "DAYTIMERS was started as a way to carry on the message of the daytime parties of the 80s and 90s (from which DAYTIMERS gets its name), where young British Asians skipped school to dance to bhangra, jungle and garage in community spaces. Find your people, be proud of your background, history and story. As a collective, we have been showing the power of a community and its collective energy since 2020." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 26 / 38 Amar Chadha Patel Actor "Creatively, I take inspiration from any marginalised person who’s had to fight to show their lived experience in art. Some of the world’s most magnificent art comes from pushing a voice we’ve never seen or heard towards the world’s eyes, ears and fingers through barriers of poverty, racism or gender inequality." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 27 / 38 Priya Khanchandani Curator, writer "When I was growing up in Luton, my grandparents, who fled their home in India during partition and ended up coming to Britain, inspired me to work hard and to live a life in pursuit of knowledge. It made me see that people didn’t need to be defined by their circumstances and encouraged me to mould a life and career I desired." Read the full profile Photographer: Alia Romagnoli 28 / 38 Pritt Musician, radio presenter "I am an Eelam Tamil artist from south London. My style is Eastern meets Western, an amalgamation of the two worlds I grew up in. Being different is actually a flex: own it." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 29 / 38 Ryan Lanji Cultural producer, curator and television presenter "I would tell the next generation to live boldly and with more authenticity. We have long yearned for our faces and races to be visible in the creative arts and many courageous South Asians have pioneered places at the table for us. Now it’s out time to redefine what we are capable and deserving of." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 30 / 38 Krittika Sharma Gallerist "My gallery has collaborated with both local and international artists to initiate impactful cross-cultural discourse. So many incredible individuals, who have unflinchingly addressed issues of racism and, inequality have shared generously. They have in turn inspired me to try and be part of the change and to continue to make space for others." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 31 / 38 Shani Dhanda Social entrepreneur, activist "I'm a disability inclusion and accessibility specialist, a social entrepreneur and a broadcaster. One thing I love about my portfolio career is that it lets me explore all sorts of interests, broadens my horizons, and allows me to have an impact on different fields. Being a South Asian woman who experiences disability, I have taken it upon myself to make the changes I want to see in the world." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 32 / 38 Katy Wickremesinghe Art PR, founder of KTW PR "Ultimately, I want my work to outlive me and to imprint cultural change, diversity and education on the world and for myself. I continuously want to learn and be filled, quite literally, with cultural curiosity. Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Everyone is relevant." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 33 / 38 Sthuthi Ramesh Founder of Sthuthi Ramesh Design "Being born and raised in India and then later moving to the UK has given me a super creative lens making my design solutions fresh and relevant. No short cuts, just sheer hard work. Soak up all creative energy around you." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 34 / 38 Spandana Gopal Founder of Tiipoi, product designer "I can attribute what I do to my experience of leaving my home in India and trying to take apart what that means for me, but also others who have had a similar experience. Rather than being driven by a feeling of loss and nostalgia, I choose to think about objects that could exist in the future." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 35 / 38 Mursal Saiq Chef, founder of Cue Point "As a first-generation Afghan refugee living in Hackney in east London in the 90s, I learned the beauty, innovation and power of diversity. Being accepted, proud and celebrated for my differences gave me the fuel, personality and tenacity to do what I do." Read the full profile Photographer: Nishant Shukla 36 / 38 Nishant Shukla Photographer "Keep experimenting with different forms and mediums and never be limited by what people expect of you. Realise that what you do now is not what you might want to do in 15 years' time. It’s OK to change your mind about it. Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself." Read the full profile Photographer: Taran Wilkhu 37 / 38 Taran Wilkhu Photographer "Find your tribe and surround yourself with good people. Learn to listen, connect and collaborate, but most importantly don't be afraid to make mistakes." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas 38 / 38 Mehala Ford Founder of CommonGround& and Friday Sari Project "I create through my experience and use my intuition to absorb what is going on around me and to get a sense of what is to come in the future. My work tells the story of my life and that is constantly evolving." Read the full profile Photographer: Mathushaa Sagthidas Image "Pioneers takes its lead from the historical portraiture in the Traders gallery and the lack of South Asian representation visible in it. "Through storytelling and portraiture, the display explores the importance of ‘layers, memory and legacy’ in the South Asian creative community. The content has been inspired by the pioneering journeys that South Asian creatives and their ancestors have made to establish new homes, communities and careers. "Pioneers questions how portraiture can be used to reflect parts of our personal history, as well as what we can pass on to future generations. This display represents South Asian creative individuals, photographed by four South Asian photographers. All of these people have forged dynamic new paths and platforms and contributed to what we are calling ‘A Renaissance in South Asian Creativity’. These are the people we call pioneers." - Mehala Ford, Founder of CommonGround& Hear more from the Pioneers Join a series of talks and workshops at the National Maritime Museum throughout October and November. 13 October 'Creating Your Personal Culture' - a Pioneers panel discussion Namalee Bolle and Sharan Dhaliwal join Mehala Ford to mark World Mental Health Day Find out more 1 November 'I Am Not A Doctor' - a Pioneers panel discussion Take part in a panel discussion with participants featured in Pioneers: A Renaissance in South Asian Creativity Find out more 11 November Diwali: Shine Your Light Experience the Festival of Lights at the National Maritime Museum Find out more What’s On Pioneers is part of the Season of Identity, a series of events at Royal Museums Greenwich exploring Britain's global connections and identities. Free displays | Identity Pioneers: A Renaissance in South Asian Creativity A series of portraits of South Asian creative individuals, on display at the National Maritime Museum. Are you ready to meet the pioneers? Open daily | 10am-5pm Free National Maritime Museum Workshops | Identity Make, Do and Maintain Join our community of makers at The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre First Saturday of every month | 10:30am-12:00pm Free (+ £1.00 booking fee) Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre Talks and tours | Identity Open Mic Poetry: This is Who We Are Whether you are an experienced writer, an aspiring poet or want to hear Jenny Mitchell launch her new collection, come along to our Open Mic event Cancelled Pay what you can: £3, £5 or £8 National Maritime Museum Workshops | Identity Writing Workshop: Poetry and Freedom A relaxed workshop themed around freedom and identity Thursday 7 December | 10.30am to 12.30pm Free National Maritime Museum Family fun | Identity SENsory Social Club Join the weekly online club for adults and young people with SEND Friday during term time| 11am (Online session) or 1pm (Onsite session) Pay what you can Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre Planetarium shows | Identity Astronomy and Islam Join us for a special show featuring the New Crescent Moon and historic Islamic astronomy. Select Saturdays and Sundays | 10.30am £10 Adult | £5 Child Royal Observatory Planetarium shows | Bilingual Families À Descoberta do Sistema Solar Join us for a planetarium show in Portuguese, presented live by an astronomer 10 December 2023 | 10.30am Adult £10 | Child £5 Royal Observatory Talks and tours | Identity Seeing Ourselves: Sharon Walters in conversation with... Ekow Eshun Join artist Sharon Walters and journalist Ekow Eshun for a discussion exploring representation in museum spaces Wednesday 13 December 2023 | 6pm-8pm Pay what you can National Maritime Museum Planetarium shows | Identity Chinese Astronomy From stars to space exploration, explore ancient and modern Chinese astronomy in this live planetarium show Saturday 16 December 2023 | 10.30am Adult £10 | Child £5 Royal Observatory Events and festivals | Identity LGBTQ+ History Month Join us this February for a spectacular series of events celebrating queer histories, cultures and communities Throughout February Free Entry In Greenwich Events and festivals | Identity Lunar New Year Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a whole host of Lunar New Year activities, videos and performances Saturday 3 February 2024 Free National Maritime Museum Events and festivals | Identity Women's History Month 2024 From fearless fighters to female activists, join us to celebrate the contributions and resilience of women throughout history Throughout March Free Entry National Maritime Museum Visit the National Maritime Museum Discover epic stories of exploration and endeavour that have shaped our world today Visit now Royal Museums Greenwich Close Choose your tickets The National Maritime Museum is free to enter, but you are welcome to book tickets online in advance. 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