Strangers

Art can uniquely tell the stories of migration in a way that politics cannot. Examining works from Britain’s national collection of art, writer Ismail Einashe offers a poignant exploration into the themes of migration and belonging, and the plight of finding shelter in a foreign land

Embarking on dangerous journeys to flee violence and persecution, migrants and refugees arrive on the shores of Britain to seek help and hope. And yet, they become scapegoats, vilified by anti-immigrant rhetoric. Examining the work of artists like Tania Bruguera, Arshile Gorky, and Mona Hatoum, Look Again: Strangers challenges this narrative. It sidesteps the dehumanizing language in political depictions of migrants, offering a deeper insight into the struggles and humanity of these strangers. Look Again is a new series of short books from Tate Publishing, opening up the conversation about British art over the last 500 years, and exploring what art has to tell us about our lives today. Written by leading voices from the worlds of literature, art, and culture, each book sheds new light on some of the most well-known, best-loved and thought-provoking artworks in the national collection, and asks us to look again.

Ismail Einashe is a journalist and writer whose work on migration and refugee issues has won multiple awards. He has written for numerous publications including the Guardian, Frieze and ArtReview. He is a member of the editorial board of Tate Etc. and co-edited the book, Lost in Media: Migrant Perspectives and the Public Sphere.