Hark1karan - Day Out With The Girls

This series is about everyday living as a Punjabi in Britain. The images focus on young Punjabi women and their lived urban existence through which they can be themselves. Their day-to-day life is expressed through style, routine, friendship and environment. These photos have been captured as a documentary concept and portraiture project from the perspective of a group of friends going about their day.  

This project explores the relationship of living with multiple cultures - in this case, the natural coming together of Western and Punjabi cultures in the context of modern urban Britain. Here, the lines between cultures blur and sometimes mesh, telling an ever-changing story. The series subtly considers a number of questions often explored by a generation who are growing up with multi-layered experiences. Am I British enough? Am I Punjabi enough? Am I an outsider? How can I practice my faith? Do I have to pick one culture over the other? The photographs present a new normal where the Punjabi suit is worn alongside trainers, not as a costume, but as an everyday outfit, just as our mothers did when they arrived in this country. Our attitudes are changing towards what was once seen as traditional and ‘backwards’ - there’s less shame and fear of openly embracing our culture. We are now celebrating who we are. We are now challenging the dominant culture, internalised fetishisation and cultural appropriation. We are now asking ourselves questions like, ‘who are we?’ and ‘what can we become?’ 

My personal belief is that there is no reason why one cannot express one’s many cultures and faiths, within their given context. You have to think and live in a way of life to actually be it. Your truth has to be lived; even though self-acceptance can be difficult at times with so many conflicting narratives. We must allow those who do not connect with their past to also move forward with what they see as comfortable for them. You can’t forever be the diaspora.