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African Oasis

African Oasis

1 October 2017 – 1 October 2017
poster reading "A Birmingham Film Workshop production, direcred by: Yugesh Singh Walia, African Oasis, made with the financial assistance of the Arts Council of Great Britain" with an image of three musicians playing drums
African Oasis, original poster courtesy Yugesh Walia

Do you remember the Handsworth Cultural Centre? 

In 2017 Vivid Projects and Collecting Birmingham produced a series of events that explored some of the hidden histories of Birmingham, contained in their archives and collections. This special event at Soho House presented African Oasis (1982), a documentary exploring the former Handsworth Cultural centre. The screening was accompanied by a Q&A with director Yugesh Walia and producer Roger Shannon; and a pop up presentation of selected material from the print archive of Brian Homer, a photographer, designer and writer who was part of the original Handsworth Self Portrait project in 1979. Active in community publishing for over 30 years, Brian shared notable editions from the alternative news and listings magazines Grapevine and Broadside produced in Handsworth during the 1970- early 1980s.

African Oasis is one of a trio of films that Birmingham based director Yugesh Walia made in the early 1980’s  with funding from West Midlands Arts, Birmingham Film Workshop and the Arts Council of Great Britain, highlighting aspects of Black and Asian culture in Britain (Mirror Mirror, 1980; Sweet Chariot, 1981; African Oasis, 1982).

Part of Black History Month. 

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