Manifesting in heroic scale a figure often overlooked by media and advertising, Hetain Patel broadcasts ‘Baa’s House 11’ a poignant new commission for CIRCA showcasing a first-generation immigrant matriarch towering over the streets of London, Milan, New York, Seoul and Tokyo throughout November.
Presented in collaboration with The Film London Jarman Award, ‘Baa’s House 11’ embodies the spirit of iconoclastic filmmaker and polemical gay activist Derek Jarman. Influenced by his legacy of challenging perceptions, giving a voice to marginalised communities and pushing creative practices forward, The Mayor of London has supported Patel in creating a special trompe-l’oeil 3D experience exclusively for Piccadilly Lights, as part of their ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign.
Exploring themes of immigration and identity on a global stage, ‘Baa’s House 11’ pays homage to Patel’s grandmother, performed by Indian Kathak dancer, Vina Ladwa. Co-opting billboard spaces in three major cities, Patel shows his grandmother looking out from the screen, empowered in everyday labour, whilst surveying passers by watching below. Typically under-represented in such spaces of mass media and advertising, the matriarch challenges audiences around the world to confront the power of such torchbearers of cultural heritage within the migrant community.
Patel, winner of the 12th Film London Jarman Award notes:
“I am interested in a representation of my grandmother occupying this space instead, striking, and powerful in her domestic action…. The invitation to occupy such iconic spaces around the world is huge – physically, artistically, and culturally. Working at this scale is both daunting and thrilling. I can’t wait to share this new commission with audiences in London and beyond.”
Hetain Patel is a celebrated British artist of Indian descent who frequently works with family members, exploring the creative potential inherent in familial bonds and domestic settings. Baa’s House 11 can be viewed 1-30 November 2021 at the following times and locations:
20:21 Piccadilly Lights, London
20:21 K-Pop Square, Seoul
20:21 Luxottica Piazzale Cadorna, Milan
20:21 Luxottica Times Square, New York
09:00 Yunika Vision, Tokyo
20:21 CIRCA.ART
CIRCA, Piccadilly Circus, W1 1st-30th November 2021
The 2021 Film London Jarman Award, of which Hetain Patel is a patron, will be announced on 23 November 2021.
HETAIN PATEL #CIRCAECONOMY PRINT Patel has created a limited-edition #CIRCAECONOMY print, available to purchase on CIRCA.ART for £100 between 1-30 November. The funds we generated from artist print sales drive the #CIRCAECONOMY – a circular model that creates life-changing opportunities for the art & culture community. In October 2021, Joseph Wilson was selected by Marina Abramovi? as the CIRCA x Dazed Class of 2021 winner, receiving a #CIRCAECONOMY cash prize of £30,000. The print will be available to purchase from HERE.
About the artist
Hetain Patel (b.1980, Bolton) is a London based visual artist and performance maker. His live performances, films, sculptures, and photographs have been shown worldwide from the Venice Biennale, Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing and Tate Modern, London to Sadler’s Wells, where he is a New Wave Associate. Patel made his first dance company work for Candoco in 2014, which toured internationally for five years. His work exploring identity and freedom, using humour, choreography and text appears in multiple formats and media, intended to reach the widest possible audience. Patel is the winner of the Film London Jarman Award 2019, Kino Der Kunst Festival’s Best International Film 2020, and was selected for the British Art Show 9, a Hayward Touring exhibition.
