Aïda Muluneh on capturing the UK’s contradictions: ‘It’s hard to imagine there are people going hungry’

For her latest exhibition, the Ethiopian photographer drove a minivan around the country, resulting in images that explore identity, gender and conflict. ‘It was a crash course in history,’ she saysGrowing up, Aïda Muluneh moved around a lot. She was born in Ethiopia, but also lived in Yemen, Cyprus, Canada and, for a short time, England. There was a spell in Sunderland for about eight months when she was six: “My mother was dating a guy from the UK,” she says. “I have very distinct memories of England. I went to school briefly, but I didn’t really speak any English. I remember the cold and the grey skies.”More than 40 years later, Muluneh returns to the UK, invited by Impressions Gallery to make new work across Bradford, Belfast, Cardiff and Glasgow for this year’s UK City of Culture programme. Comprising 22 images, The Necessity of Seeing was made over a month-long road trip. She crammed all her equipment into two cars and a minivan, along with a mobile studio, painted backdrops and clothing brought over from Africa, and five core crew members. “It was basically like getting a crash course in UK history and contemporary life,” says Muluneh. Continue reading...

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