Welcome to Beyond the Frame: Indian British Connections. This Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded follow-on project expands and builds on the success of the 3-year research project ‘Making Britain: South Asian Visions of Home and Abroad’ (2007-10; see ‘About’ for further details). Profiling visual and archival sources in international collections, Beyond the Frame highlights the numerous ways in which South Asians positioned themselves within British society and culture and explores the significance of their impact on British life. Showcasing key historical links and cultural exchanges that took place between India and Britain, it also explores the tensions that arose from such encounters.
The primary objective of Beyond the Frame is to heighten public awareness of the depth of South Asian contributions to contemporary British life. It is led by Principal Investigator and Director, Professor Susheila Nasta of The Open University, with Penny Brook, Lead Curator of India Office Records, British Library, Dr Florian Stadtler, Research Associate (OU, 2008-2013) and pioneering historian of Asians in Britain, Dr Rozina Visram.
Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Indian National Congress, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, at a reception in India House, London, 6 December 1946. © British Library Board [Photo 429/(37)]
Brochure cover for India exhibition
Working in close partnership with the British Library and the British Council, the project has toured a new facsimile panel exhibition ‘Beyond the Frame: India in Britain, 1858-1950’ to seven cities in India between 2011 and 2012. Profiling the extensive influence of the early South Asian presence in Britain from the period of the Raj to the early years of Independence, the exhibition drew attention to this history’s ongoing relevance to British-Indian relations today. Positioned to create productive platforms for knowledge exchange, Beyond the Frame opened dynamic global pathways for cultural dialogue and public engagement.
In addition to follow-on funding from the UK Arts Humanities Research Council, this phase of the project has been enabled by financial support from The Open University, the British Library and World Collections Programme. This collaboration is further enhanced by a number of internationally distinguished partners, consultants and advisors; in particular, the British Council, coordinators of the India exhibition tour. At the same time, the original ‘Making Britain’ exhibition, has continued its highly successful UK tour. Further details of venues and activities are available from this website.
The project team is committed to a varied programme of public engagement activities, including seminars, school workshops and lectures. In the UK, the project team has produced dynamic interactive online resources for the British Library’s award-winning ‘Timelines’ website and a linked ‘Asians in Britain’ learning website.
Autumn 2013 marks the launch of an exciting new book, Asian Britain: A Photographic History, published by the Westbourne Press in partnership with Getty Images and the British Library. For further details, please follow our Photo History link.Professor Nasta's work on Beyond the Frame was recently featured as an example of public engagement in the Research Councils UK (RCUK) 'Pathways to Impact' case study.
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Beyond the Frame: Indian British Connections was funded by the AHRC (2011-12)
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