This activity pack has been devised as part of a programme of schools workshops inspired by the commission, Gut Feelings Meri Jaan (2021) by artist Jasleen Kaur. Developed in collaboration with a group of women and gender non-conforming people from Rochdale’s Pakistani, Bengali and Punjabi communities, Gut Feelings Meri Jaan is a series of films that respond to the contents of the local archives in Rochdale by fore-fronting the often neglected (or misrepresented) voices of migrant communities within the social history of the town.
The creative activities allow schools to teach students about moving image and photographic processes using alternative ‘camera-less’ techniques, alongside the development of narratives and storyboards through experimentation with text and illustration. The themes of Gut Feelings Meri Jaan also provide a springboard for other academic learning outcomes, such as exploring the diverse national, regional, ethnic and religious cultures, groups and communities in the UK and the connections between them, while exploring community cohesion and the different forces that bring about change in communities over time.
The activity pack has been designed for school children (aged 9-16) by UP Projects, with content and activities devised by Bushra Sultana and Alina Akbar who collaborated with the Jasleen Kaur on the exhibition Gut Feelings Meri Jaan, presented at Touchstones Rochdale from 23 October 2021 – 13 February 2022.
Gut Feelings Meri Jaan is generously funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Foyle Foundation, the Garfield Weston Foundation, Rochdale Borough Council and Arts Council England.
