"West Indies to West Midlands" is a series of contemporary portraits of West Indian war veterans and a selection of their own archival photographic collections. Inès Elsa Dalal, from Birmingham, has endeavoured to document WAWI project through their presence at military parades as well as ever-increasing public outreach: intergenerational and intercultural engagement in schools, libraries, churches and community centres.
Ines began this series 12 months ago and will continue to work with under represented communities for the entire 4-year commemoration of WW1 (2014-2018).
WAWI project aims to highlight the link between hundreds of years of West Indian contribution to the British military to mass migration. This history has so far not been publicly acknowedledged let alone commemorated.
WAWI project's principal aim is to promote greater awareness and understanding of Britain's diverse population.
Documentary photographer Inès Elsa Dalal specialises in conducting
social commentary projects involving heritage, community, sanctuary and
social rituals. Her previous work includes ethnographic studies which
range from locations as hyperlocal as Harborne and Balsall Heath,
Birmingham, to as far-reaching as Jerusalem, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Here is a short video of the exhibition. I have to apologize to Inès for my wrong location of the accent on her name.
