An exhibition at Gunnersbury Park & Museum that explores the legacy of resistance, migration and creativity that shaped Southall’s identity has been extended until 23 November 2025.
Co-created with members of the Southall community, Peoples Unite! How Southall Changed the Country, showcases decades of grassroots activism, art and sound. It charts the area’s transformation into a cultural and political powerhouse, offering a free, immersive journey through three generations of resilience.
Visitors are drawn into a rich sensory experience that captures how Southall’s residents turned resistance into culture. Archival photographs by Dennis Morris depict Punjabi life in the 1970s, while Hark1karan’s contemporary Zimmers of Southall series celebrates the women and classic cars of today. A 1983 Southall Black Women’s Centre banner, created by Southall Black Sisters, underscores the enduring intersection of art and protest.
Music takes centre stage too. From Misty in Roots’ anti-racist collaborations to the rise of Panjabi Hit Squad’s genre-bending sound, the exhibition traces the sonic threads woven through Southall’s fight for justice. A custom-built sound-system by Vedic Roots honours the area’s audio heritage.
Children and adults alike are encouraged to interact – creating protest placards, stepping inside Sharan Dhaliwal’s saree-draped pavilion Calling This Home, or rewinding the sounds of revolution on a classic tape deck.
Peoples Unite! runs at Gunnersbury Park & Museum until 23 November 2025.
