‘DON’T ASK ME WHERE I’M FROM’ A REPRESENTATION OF DIFFERENCE

BY SARA DARLING
Representing art from around the world, ‘Imago Mundi’ began as a collection of artworks commissioned and collected during the world travels of Luciano Benetton- one of the creators of the global fashion brand United Colors of Benetton.

Carefully developed and curated into an exhibition, 'Don't ask me where I’m from’ has brought together fifteen artists from second generation immigrants who represent 23 countries from all over the world, as part of a group exhibition which opens at Imago Mundi’s 'Gallerie delle Prigioni',  in Treviso, Italy.
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Given a platform to reflect on their community and society, the unique show aims to highlight life today, and consists of a growing body of people, raised in an environment other than their parents. The chosen artists have a diverse sense of identity and their works explore cross-cultural artistic realities and highlight how they are able to navigate between different cultures.

Hailing from all over the globe and making a life for themselves in places they were not born, these chosen artists  are celebrated for their “difference” and include Shinpei Takeda of Japanese origin but lives between Tijuana (Mexico) and Berlin. El Seed is French with Tunisian parents and practices "calligraphy" (a mix of Islamic calligraphy and street art). Jeanno Gussi is Afghan but lives in Berlin, which helps to demonstrate the fusion of cultures in our daily lives, wherever they are.

Making a statement on nationality, roots and immigration, the exhibition is timely and hopes to forge a deeper understanding between cultures and communities, and a respect for diversity and difference. 

The exhibition will be on show from 27 November at Imago Mundi’s Gallerie delle Prigioni, Treviso, Italy, before travelling to the Aga Khan Museum in March 2020.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

• Daniela Edburg. A Mexican artist born in Texas, she lives in San Migel del Allende, Mexico.
• Elena El Asmar. Born in Florence, Italy, of Lebanese origins, she now lives and works in Milan.
• eL Seed. Born to Tunisian parents in Paris, he currently lives in Dubai, UAE.
• Erica Kaminishi. A Japanese-Brazilian artist, she lives and works between Brazil and France.
• Farihah Aliyah Shah. Born in Edmonton of Guyanese descent, she now lives in Toronto.
• Gui Mohallem. Sao Paulo-based, Brazilian artist with Lebanese roots.
• Houda Terjuman. Born to a Syrian father and a Swiss mother in Morocco, she still lives in Morocco today.
• Jeanno Gaussi. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, she lives and works in Berlin.
• John Young (Young Zerunge). Born in Hong Kong, he moved to Australia in 1967 and lives in Melbourne.

• Liberty Battson. Born and raised in Benoni, South Africa, to Zimbabwean parents, she still lives there.
• Marija Nemčenko. A Lithuanian artist who grew up there before moving to the UK, she works in Glasgow, Scotland.
• Sarah Maple. Of mixed Kenyan, Punjabi, and British origins, she was born in the UK and still lives there.
• Shinpei Takeda. Born in Osaka, Japan,  he is based between Tijuana, Mexico, and Düsseldorf, Germany.
• Sukaina Kubba. An Iraqi-born Canadian artist, she has worked in Canada and the UK and now lives in Toronto.
• Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi. Born in New York, she grew up there, as well as in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Johannesburg, South Africa, where she currently lives.