Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora: Creating Disruption
December 14th, 2024
By Liv Collins
Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora is a photographer like no other. Based in Birmingham, this artist and activist builds intricate projects from the ground up, that shine a light on marginalised communities and often-overlooked spaces. From wild swimming to the boxing ring, Jaskirt’s lens focuses on the intersections of sport, gender, representation, community and care. Her photographs simultaneously celebrate the individuals and grass-roots communities she works with, whilst highlighting the wider vast inequalities that permeate our society.
Over a few icy days in December, I spoke to Jaskirt over email and text, to find out more about her work and world. We talk about the precarity of the arts, the joy of women’s football, and how important it is to champion diversity in photography. The following conversation reveals just how deeply collaborative, disruptive and socially engaged Jaskirt’s practice is. Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora is undoubtedly redefining what it means to be a photographer in the 21st century.
Shiam & Jo, wild open water swimming, Easenhall Rugby - People, Place and Sport. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
Good morning Jaskirt!
The first thing I'd love to ask you, is how are you doing right now? As an artist, but also as a human being in this wild world.
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
Hi Liv,
That’s a big question to start with! I’m doing well thank you, I’m currently in Dubai for a research trip with GRAIN Projects, and it’s been fascinating to see the art scene in the UAE and how naturally the work and exhibitions out here are addressing the important issues of our times. This includes work around colonisation, animal lives and the importance of preserving arts and culture to defy the erasure of a people, such as the group exhibition I saw at Concrete in Al Alkersal this week on Palestinian artists.
We are living in scary times where the people we have in power are not acting in the people or humanities best interests, and it’s more important and prevalent than ever that as artists we make the work we care about, and don’t lose heart. These are just some of the things at the forefront of my mind this week!
As a human being I’m safe, fit and healthy. I have two beautiful children and a very active practice, I feel very blessed and grateful to be in this position.
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
I'm glad to hear you're doing well, and that's really powerful what you said. These are such scary times to be living in, and holding on to our art (and each other) has never felt so important.
I'd love to hear more about your practice, and the themes and ideas that you navigate through with your photography.
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
The themes that run through my work are predominantly trying to amplify marginalised stories or voices through a socially engaged practice. A lot of this is centred around representation of and issues around gender, ethnicity and place. I’m constantly reviewing my ethical principals in how I approach my work and the people I collaborate with, and especially try to consider how I can give them agency in the decision making of how their stories are told too. That doesn’t mean I’ve always got it right, but it’s something I am very conscious of going into every project. Most recently I have been exploring creative health, and how the arts can benefit people who have experienced trauma, and how the arts and photography can benefit people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Diana, Women’s Boxing Club, Digbeth. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
Creative health is such a brilliant phrase. And I love how you're constantly thinking & refining your own ethical principles within your work.
Do you think photography as a medium throws up a lot of ethical and moral questions within itself? Like in terms of consent, representation, ownership etc? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
Yes I think photography throws up lots of ethical and moral dilemmas, and has been hugely problematic in its history of representation and consent. Historically it’s been a very extractive medium with a white-European canon. Slowly that has begun to change and shift in the UK in the last 10 years, which is for the better.
The question I ask myself whenever making work, is how much do I take from the people I work with and how much value am I giving them back out of the work or project? Not just in a monetary sense, as I don’t pay any people I work with, but I think about it in terms of skills I can give them, or care in the way we work together and my approach and the end outcomes. And especially in the care of representation and authorship of narrative. This is where I feel it helps me that I have a slower practice, and I try to ensure deadlines I work to, allow for conversation and nuance in considering these factors.
Arjan Bachra, Sporting Khalsa, Willenhall. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
I love how thoughtful, and innately caring your approach is, it especially feels so needed and important right now.
I'd love to hear more about your project People, Place and Sport. What was the starting point for this body of work?
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
I had a break from making new work after Everyday Olympian in 2012, I became disillusioned with the lack of regular income from arts projects. But in 2018 when it was announced Birmingham would be hosting the next Commonwealth Games, I knew I wanted to make new work celebrating amateur sports and everyday people.
And that's how People, Place and Sport started. In April 2021 when we came out of lockdown, I began photographing a range of different sports that would feature in the Games, and also the much loved and used sports centres, fields and facilities. With the support of arts organisation Multistory and the Birmingham 2022 cultural festival it was produced into 9 outdoor public exhibitions during the time of the games from April-Aug 2022.
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
Woah that's amazing! Looking back, what are some of your highlights from this project?
I really love the exhibition you did at Mosely Road baths, as part of People, Place and Sport. Those celebratory photos of local people within their local sports clubs, exhibited inside a huge empty pool. They looked so powerful and poignant. It makes me think how exhibitions that happen outside of white cube spaces, are often so much more exciting, inclusive and disruptive.
Moseley Road Baths – People, Place, Sport. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
My favourite part of People, Place and Sport was seeing all the exhibitions in public spaces, and creating some disruption like you said! The work even featured in the back of coverage of news reports and the marathon. I had one person tell me when they first saw the work, they thought it was advertisements from afar, and that's what I really enjoyed about it being in public spaces. Advertisements seep into our subconscious and create these subliminal messages whether we like it or not, as they're all around us. I wanted a positive and realistic portrayal of the type of people I see on a daily basis in the city reflected back at them. So often we don't see women over 40 in sports images or people of different body shapes in the public realm and I wanted to disrupt that like you said.
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
Oh I LOVE that. Also the advertisements that we see in city centres, shops etc, are often highly glamourised (and heavily edited too). So there's something really refreshing about your photographs being in these public spaces, portraying the messy reality of life! With all the blood, sweat and tears included.
What is it about sport in particular that you enjoy exploring & fleshing out through your photography?
St Paul's Square – People, Place, Sport. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
I grew up playing sports, I was a keen footballer up until I tore my ACL when I was 16. When I started taking photographs and was figuring out what type of career I wanted (I was studying communication, culture and media at Cov Uni and worked in broadcast and written journalism for a few years), I started volunteering at Birmingham City women's football club. I wrote match reports for BBC online, as well as taking photographs of the match.
The more I learnt about the inequalities in sport, is when I really began developing a more conceptual way to work with the club and the players to highlight some of these social issues through photography. I was able to combine my two passions, and I started shooting a portrait project on women's football to highlight the disparities in the men and women's game in the mid to late noughties. It felt like the most natural way for me to express and flesh out what I was seeing and hearing. Sport generally is a microcosm of what is happening on a larger scale within society. Whether it's sexism, racism or issues of class.
From a purely photographic sense, I really enjoy how visceral and raw the images of sports people can be too.
Coventry Ladies FC- Everyday Olympian. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
That's so interesting to hear that you have such a sporting background! Do you still play football?
It's amazing that you've been celebrating women's football for the last 20 years. It feels like popularity for the women's game has really skyrocketed in the last few years (although of course, so much inequality still exists within it.)
On your website where you share these portraits, you've written "the idea that some of the nation's best women footballers could pass you in the street and you wouldn't know them, is a telling fact in a world where male footballers are ranked as celebrities." How much do you think attitudes towards the women's game have changed in the last 2 decades?
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
They've changed massively, there's been a huge shift since I first started covering the game to now. And England winning the Euros was a pivotal point in changing attitudes, the quality of the game keeps getting better and there is now much better access to watch and see the sport too.
Karen Carney who was largely unknown when she played for the Blues and England, now has a documentary on ITV and is a regular pundit on all footy matches. That wasn’t happening 20 years ago. A lot has improved, but still more work is needed in the grassroots of the game. As for me I haven't been able to play even 5 a side since having my children 8 years ago. As much as I'd love to, I've found it difficult juggling my teaching (I'm a lecturer part time at Birmingham City University), my practice and kids to also have a regular hobby. I'm happy with getting to the gym once or twice a week!!
Karen Carney - Women’s Football. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
That's amazing how you've witnessed such a profound change in women's football ~ long may it continue <3
I can totally understand that too, juggling everything is like an Olympic sport itself. I'd love to hear your plans, dreams and ideas for 2025. (In a perfect world - what would you love to do?).
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
I'm currently working on 'Fractured Landscapes and how we heal', new work examining the impact of male violence against women and girls and how the arts and nature can be beneficial in healing from trauma. It will culminate in a major solo exhibition at The New Art Gallery Walsall and Open Eye Gallery in 2026!
2025 is a big year of creating and making for me, I've started shooting the project already, and I'm excited and nervous to see how it progresses over the next year. There will also be workshops with women in refuges across 4 cities and towns in the UK, which will begin in February, and hopefully will become part of the exhibition and accompanying publication.
I'm very fortunate that this is the work I have been building towards and have wanted to do in the last 4 years, and I get to spend next year developing it with the support of Arts Council project grant and research funding from Birmingham City University.
Peeling Walls, Smethwick Swimming Centre © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
To <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
From <Liv Collins>
Wow, that sounds like such an important and brilliant project. Have you heard of the artist Lidia Lidia? I think you'd be interested in her work !
And finally, what's one piece of advice that you would give someone who's trying to build a career & practice as an artist?
To <Liv Collins>
From <Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora>
My final piece of advice for someone building an arts practice, is that the reality right now is so tough, the arts are unstable and very precarious.
I would advise you to ensure you have financial stability so your basic human needs are being met, and then when you can, carve out the time to make work. Even if it's an hour a day or a day each week, this will help to hone your craft. Having a goal of where you want to be and what you'd like to achieve in the next 2 years will help, and then work out what you need to do, who you need to contact, and what work you want to make to help you achieve it.
Lastly build or join a community of support, good people that will champion and celebrate your wins, and importantly listen and help you when times are tough.
Tony – Everyday Olympian. © Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora. Courtesy of the artist
About Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora
Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora (Panjabi, Brummie, artist, mother and educator) is an award-winning multi-disciplinary artist whose work focuses on a socially engaged practice, working with local communities. She is interested in celebrating untold stories while exploring visual representations of gender, ethnicity and place. In 2023 Jaskirt founded @womeninphotobham, a bi-monthly social event for women photographers in the W.Midlands. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.