Quick Facts
Biography
Zarina Bhimji (born in 1963) is a Ugandan Asian photographer and film maker, who was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2007.
She lives and works in London.
Life and work
Born in Mbarara, Uganda, Bhimji was educated at Leicester Polytechnic (1982 – 83), Goldsmiths' College (1983 – 86) and Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (1987 – 89).
In 2001 Bhimji won the EAST award at EASTinternational selected by Mary Kelly and Peter Wollen.
She participated in documenta 11 in June to September 2002 with her 16 mm film Out of Blue.
In 2003–07, she travelled widely in India, East Africa and Zanzibar, studying legal documents and the stories of those who formed British power in those countries, carrying out interviews and taking photographs.
In 2003 Bhimji received the International Center for Photography's, Infinity Award in the Art Photography category.
In 2007, she was shortlisted for the Turner Prize for photographs of Uganda. Their theme was the expulsion of Asians from the country by Idi Amin and the subsequent loss and grief caused. The photographs were exhibited at Haunch of Venison gallery in London and Zurich. Her Turner Prize display included a film, Waiting, which was shot in a sisal-processing factory.
The Tate gallery describes her work:
In 2012, the first major survey exhibition of her work was held at Whitechapel Gallery, London, January–March 2012, which traced 25 years of her work. It opened with the joint premiere of her film, Yellow Patch (2011), at The New Art Gallery Walsall and Whitechapel Gallery. The film was inspired by trade and migration across the Indian Ocean. An accompanying monograph was published by Ridinghouse.
