Record

CodeDS/UK/537
Person NameKarimjee; Mumtaz (1950-); Photographer
Dates1950-
Dates and Places1950: born. 1978-1979: studied at Beijing University. 1980-1981: studied at Nanjing University. 1982: completed BA (Hons) in Modern Languages at Polytechnic of Central London.
HistoryKarimjee was born in Bombay and raised in Tanzania. From 1978-1979 she studied at Beijing University. From 1980-1981 she then studied at Nanjing University. She then moved to London, where she completed a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages in 1982 at the Polytechnic of Central London. She is a self-taught photographer. She began taking photographs in China. Her work explores themes of feminist, queer, and post-colonial issues. As a South Asian lesbian, her work probes stereotypes. It also challenges how Britain presents the 'Other' to itself. She gives visibility to marginalised communities. Her identification as an artist came in 1983 when her art was included in the Black Women Time Now exhibition at the Battersea Arts Centre. This was curated by Lubaina Himid. She was a member of the Black Women and Photography Group.
ActivitySolo Exhibitions
1984 South of the Border, London.
1985 Tricycle Theatre Gallery, London.
1985 Drill Hall Arts Centre, London.
1985 Civic Centre, Hounslow, Middlesex.
1988 My Mothers My Sisters Myself, Sisterwrite Gallery, London.
Group Exhibitions
1983 Black Woman Time Now, Battersea Arts Centre, London.
1984 School of Oriental and African Studies, London.
1985 GLC Spring Festival, County Hall, London.
1986 Jagrati, Greenwich Citizens Gallery, London.
1986 Festival of Chinese Art, Smiths Gallery London.
1986 Reflections of the Black Experience, Brixton Art Gallery, London.
1986 Aurat Shakti, Cockpit Gallery, London.
1986 Darshan, Camerwork, London and touring.
1988 Against the Clause, CopyArt, London.
1988 Poloareyes, Camden Arts Centre, London.
1990 Autoportraits, Camerwork, London.
1990 In Focus, Horizon Gallery, London.
1991, Fabled Territories: Asian Photography in Britain, Leeds City Art Gallery, and touring.
1991-93 Stolen Glances, Stills Gallery, Edinburgh, and touring.
1992 Mis(sed) Representations, The Cave Arts Centre, Birmingham, touring to Bluecoat,
Liverpool and BBK Gallerie, Cologne.
1992 Fine Material for a Dream, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, and touring.
Curatorial Work
1987-88 Coordinator, Spectrum Women’s Photography Festival, London.
1987-88 Curator, Four Indian Women Photographers, Horizon Gallery, London.
SourceSouth Asian Diaspora Arts Archive, Mumtaz Karimjee, <https://sadaa.co.uk/studio/files/Mumtaz-Kiramjee-essay.pdf> [accessed 24 January 2024]
Catalogue
RefNoTitle
CPG/2/14'Armet Francis: The Black Triangle: The people of the African Diaspora', [Cockpit Gallery Holborn, Feb 1985]
CPG/2/21'Aurat Shakti: Asian Women Living in the Country,' Cockpit Gallery Holborn, 3 - 26 Mar 1986
CWA/2/2/20Zarina Bhimji, Prodeepta Das, Ashwin Gatha, Sunil Gupta, Sunil Janah, Mumtaz Karimjee, Abida Khan, Samina Khanour, Sarita Sharm, Padma Shreshtha: Darshan - Ten Asian Photographers, 1987
CWA/2/2/58Monika Baker, Allan de Souza, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Joy Gregory, Sunil Gupta, Lyle Harris, Mumtaz Karimjee, Roshini Kempadoo: Autoportraits, 20 March - 12 April, 1990
CWA/2/2/85Tessa Boffin, Deborah Bright, Jacqui Duckworth, Jean Fraser, Del LaGrace Volcano, Mumtaz Karimjee, Nina Levitt, Lynette Molnar, Ingrid Pollard, Jill Posener: Stolen Glances - Lesbian Take Photographs, 9 September - 9 October, 1992
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