While searching for art pieces for an upcoming exhibition, Dr Zehra Jumabhoy and her colleagues recently stumbled across a hidden gem at the British Empire & Commonwealth Collection (BECC) in Bristol. 

They were on the hunt for pieces for an exhibition called ‘Tigers and Dragons: India and Wales’ based around Imperial connections between Britain and South Asia set for Swansea’s Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in 2025, while Dr Jumabhoy was also seeking material to include on the University’s new ‘Art & Empire’ course – a new module part of the History of Art department’s drive to create a more global curriculum. 

While trawling through the collection they discovered a painting which turned out to be the work of renowned Pakistani artist Risham Syed. 

Dr Jumabhoy noted: “This find just shows how rich Bristol’s own history is with regard to the British Empire and lasting South Asian artistic legacies. It also demonstrates that the History of Art’s newly revamped syllabus is already making an impact on how we can read this past by uncovering hidden gems.Hopefully the stars align and we can feature Risham’s piece in the Swansea ‘Tigers and Dragons’ exhibition.” 

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