BRADFORD photographer SHY BURHAN shares news of an exhibition showcasing the talents of young people in the city

I’m a big believer that any creative journey always starts on your own doorstep. At the heart of these Bradford streets are community hubs the Girlington Centre and the Milside Centre. Girlington was the ward in which I was born and raised, and having travelled extensively to pursue a career in photography, I feel proud to now give back to the community which taught me so much.

Both hubs have been incredibly supportive. On Tuesday, August 1 - Yorkshire Day - Girlington Centre is launching a permanent exhibition of photography by young people I’ve been working with. Folks, I give you Blooming Likeness.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The images capture a sense of fun The images capture a sense of fun (Image: Shy Burhan)

When I’ve delivered similar workshops to adults from under-represented community groups before, they’ve reclaimed cultural and community narratives in their own neighbourhoods, taking compelling photos along the way. What I found with young people was they really started to bloom once they were given the chance to step beyond Yorkshire. We took a trip to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead to see the current Chris Killip retrospective and the young people fed back that being given the opportunity, freedom and trust to explore an unfamiliar photographer’s work in a location they’d not heard of boosted their sense of purpose and confidence in their skills as creative story-tellers and enhanced their sense of belonging and citizenship.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The young people's work is going on permanent display The young people's work is going on permanent display (Image: Shy Burhan)

I revised the workshops and taught them in more outdoor locations, as they wanted the autonomy to roam and just be artists. Their conduct and artistry did not disappoint. What I did in the workshops was teach them how to use different lighting, composition and story-telling techniques to relay themes such as: fun, strength, adventure, friendship, adventure, peace, hope, relaxation and family. All the work in this exhibition is exclusively theirs and was captured on their smartphones.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Some of the images convey a sense of adventure Some of the images convey a sense of adventure (Image: Shy Burhan)

The photos relay their safe spaces and everyday stories, as they wish to share them. I am proud to share their work at their first ever photography exhibition.

‘Blooming’ is a typical expression of Yorkshire exaggeration but also means to blossom. ‘Likeness’ means to be alike. And representation matters. It levels the playing field. I taught young people, from under-served community groups, to proudly take artistic photos in the streets in which they live, about people and issues they know, who will then be proud of them for relaying their hidden stories that reflect the diversity of their own neighbourhoods.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The images were all taken on smartphones The images were all taken on smartphones (Image: Shy Burhan)

Beyond that I realised how important it was to the younger generation to broaden their horizons, as we live in a global community and we’re connected by media and social media channels. Seeing how vast and diverse this planet is makes them want to participate and rightly so. Aspiration is everything. They are the future - they matter and they matter to me. I look forward to seeing you at their exhibition!

This project is supported by Bradford Council’s Small Arts and Cultural Grant fund, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Government’s Levelling Up fund, Millside Centre, Girlington Centre and the Arts Council National Lottery Fund. The exhibition is part of Bradford South Asian Festival’s 2023.

Visit shybphotography.com