Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Birmingham City centre lies Digbeth Community Garden. Here two groups of participants have been taking part in molding and sculpting miniature homes made from clay. Artist Sophia Moffa has been leading a project where local asylum seekers source clay to build a miniature clay home of their own. This collaborative sustainable project looks at the meaning of home for those in a temporary state of limbo.
During their final making session, participants from all backgrounds were gathered in a peaceful garden on a sunny day. They pressed, scraped and pieced together the walls of their miniature models. Each had unique characteristics carefully sculpted by their makers. The atmosphere was relaxed and filled with a murmur of conversation and sips of tea and coffee. Sophia Moffa, supported by volunteers, tended to each participant, showing them different techniques and skills. The participants have begun firing and digging up their pieces in the garden in preparation for presenting them at the New Walsall Art Gallery and their ‘Belonging’ workshop later this week. They will exhibit their pieces at an exhibition at the gallery entitled Pride & Privilege from 1 July.
Image Credit: Amal Team
Forming part of
Co-created projects
This project is part of Amal’s Co-created Projects programme. We support high-quality arts projects that are co-created by Muslims and creative professionals and showcased within the wider community. These provide Muslims with opportunities they would not otherwise have to express their creativity in ways that matter to them. By enabling experimentation between Muslim artists and communities, these projects model ways in which the UK’s arts and cultural mainstream could more fully and authentically represent and engage Muslims as individuals and communities.
