Channel: Victoria and Albert Museum

Category: Education

Tags: ad hoc mosquemosquemuslimbritainlondonfaithbritishimprovised mosquevenicemehrab=shahed saleemminaretarchitecturebiennaleimmigrationvictoria and albert museumharrowharrow mosquevenice architecture biennaleold kent road2021julie marshharrow central mosquebrick lanecommunityhybridityv&avenice biennaleold kent road mosqueprayerbrick lane mosqueminbarworshipmihrab

Description: In collaboration with architect Shahed Saleem, ‘Three British Mosques’ is an exhibition looking at the self-built and often undocumented world of adapted – or improvised – mosques. It explores the case studies of Old Kent Road mosque – a former Victorian pub, Brick Lane mosque – a former Hugenot chapel then Synagogue, and Harrow Central mosque – a purpose-built space that sits next door to the converted semi-detached houses it used to occupy. In Britain any group can start a mosque, without appeal or approval from a higher religious authority. Most mosques have been created by adapting existing buildings – from houses, shops, cinemas, pubs as well as other former places of worship. Often communities actively fundraise to build new mosques on these sites to better meet their community’s needs, but as new-build mosques replace these improvised spaces, this form of community-led design is being lost. Capturing these spaces through 3D architectural reconstructions, photographs, and filmed interviews from artist Julie Marsh, Three British Mosques documents these unique places of worship, recording and celebrating them before they are lost forever. Three British Mosques was on display at the Venice Biennale from 22 May – 21 November 2021. Discover more about Three British Mosques: vam.ac.uk/articles/la-biennale-di-venezia-2021 Find out more about 'Assembly' film from Julie Marsh: site-integrity.com/projects/assembly