Amna Walayat
Studio 1
November 12 to December 22, 2021

Amna Walayat is Cork County Council Creative Producer in Residence supported by Creative Ireland. Amna originally from South Asia is a Visual Artist living and working in Cork. During her residency Walayat intends to create a people’s museum, an “Invisible Museum of South Asia in Ireland’ extending an invitation for the South Asian Community to participate and engage in dialogue around cultural identity and belonging. In giving the artifacts a space and place to be shared, and in revealing their story the project will give visibility and voice to the South Asian Community in Cork.

‘Ireland has a lot of cultural artifacts that South Asian people bring with them as souvenir while migrating to Ireland. These artifacts in their homes might stay on show as decoration to their guests – “invisible” to the wider community behind the walls. Each object holds a story significant to belonging and cultural identity. However, these artifacts could become a part of cultural life of Ireland to promote diversity and play a vital role in enhancing the south Asian identity in Ireland.’

Amna welcomes participation through a number of events including:

Children's Workshops on 13 Nov, 11 Dec & 22 Jan, 10:00 am to 12:30pm inviting children from South Asian community to a creative session of storytelling and illustration. In collaboration with Amna they would create their own story and work around the ideas of belonging. Stories will be discussed and sketched and finally reflected with the support of images and words. Materials supplied. All ages welcome.

Studio Creative Sessions in studio Friday’s 10:30 am - 12:30 pm 12, 19, 26 November 03, 10 and 17 December. Participants will be invited to select a cultural object from their original homeland that belongs to the South Asian region and was brought to Ireland as a souvenir. Examples are; macramé, woodwork, embroidery piece, embossed calligraphy, jewellery box or a wall hanging, wedding garments dresses or caps. See links for example https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AfNe0Scr7no  The object will be creatively reinterpreted in the form of a painting, embroidery, sketch, photograph, story or a short film.

Interview Space for Amna’s video work – a time flexible meeting and recording secession from 11 Nov-22 Dec would be arranged with the participants who are interested in reflecting their objects in story telling or video.

For the context of this project, the South Asian region includes Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.

Amna Walayat is a Cork-based Pakistani-born visual artist. She has an MA in Modern and Contemporary Art History Theory and Criticism from UCC, and an MA in Fine Arts from Punjab University, Lahore. She works from Sample-Studios and a recent recipient of: the Cork County Council Creative Producer Residency, and an Arts Council Next Generation Award 2021. Her work is currently included in the yearlong exhibition The Narrow Gate of Here and Now at IMMA (2021-2022).

Project website/page: https://www.facebook.com/Amna-Walayat-Creative-Producer-in-Residence-Cork-County-Council-102750785532384/

Amna Walayat Personal Social media website: https://www.facebook.com/amna.majid.10/ https://www.instagram.com/amna.walayat/

Amna’s project and residency is supported by Cork County Council and Creative Ireland.

WCAC acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Cork County Council in making these residencies possible.