Featuring Maral Mamaghanizadeh, Zoe Milner, Alison France, Daniel Griffiths and Kim Waine-Thomas

Curated by Emma Fearon

Diaspora as a term often relates to a scattering of people, away from an established homeland. These people often will find each other, under the weight of mainstream culture. The D/deaf have a kindred experience, with a natural language, and a way of being that is culturally Deaf while often existing in a hearing society that may not always choose to understand them. In convening together, they create new homelands and Deaf Worlds together.

What allows this diaspora to thrive and connect is authentic expression and the freedom to be truly Deaf. Inter-diaspora showcases such D/deaf expression that considers the community that connects them, alongside other influences in their life.

Maral Mamaghanizadeh, is a Deaf Iranian artist who explores the barriers that she encounters in her everyday existence as Deaf, female and a refugee. Through her artwork, Maral intertwines cultural politics, feminism, and storytelling. She takes on the role of both artist and narrator as she depicts the wearer’s character through the jewellery she creates. 

Zoe Milner was born and raised in Nottingham, profoundly deaf, to a hearing family. They left deaf school, after eleven years, and went straight into mainstream college at Derby College, which challenged them to translate from a smaller deaf society into a larger hearing world, affecting their communication, emotions, and experiences. Zoe approaches this challenge with vibrant typography.

Alison France, formerly Hillier and Swannack, is an artist who has lived/grew up in Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa, often using these cultures as inspiration for her work. As a Deaf artist, she embarks on a visual exploration through abstraction and sculpture, infusing her creations with empathetic engagement.

Daniel J.G. is a Brighton-based Deaf artist, originally from Cornwall, making work inspired by the beauty of nature and the positive impact being in nature can have on mental health. Daniel has spent countless hours outside studying the colours, shapes, textures, lighting and forms of the landscape. When painting, Daniel draws on all these visual references and the emotions they evoke to produce abstract compositions rich in meaning.

Kim Waine-Thomas is a craft artist, specialising in handmade embroidery. Kim studied theatrical hair and make-up in 1980s , however after barriers to the industry, she would pursue other career paths. Regardless, Kim has continued to experiment with textile art and freehand machine embroidery, with her style changing over the years. Kim is often inspired by nature, environmental responsibility, and the D/deaf experience.

Each artist has their own distinct practice that touches upon the Deaf experience,

Thank you to Arts Council England, Brighton Dome, Duke Lanes, Shape Arts, Audio Visibility, and Phoenix Art Space.