London Exhibition Explores Muslim Heritage, Migration and Identity Through Islamic-Inspired Art
London Exhibition Explores Muslim Heritage, Migration and Identity Through Islamic-Inspired Art
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A new exhibition in east London is using Islamic-inspired art and historical references to explore the long presence of Muslim communities in Europe, while addressing contemporary debates over migration, belonging, and rising Islamophobia in Britain.
Titled “I Was Born Here”, the exhibition by British architect and artist Shahed Saleem is displayed beneath a 536-year-old Islamic-inspired wooden ceiling from Torrijos, Spain, at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s V&A East Storehouse in Stratford. The three large tapestries connect medieval Islamic heritage in Europe with the experiences of today’s Muslim communities in London.
One tapestry incorporates slogans from the UK government’s former “Hostile Environment” immigration policy, including signs used in 2013 targeting undocumented migrants, alongside Alhambra-inspired geometric patterns from Islamic Spain. Another features a portrait of Altab Ali, a young Bangladeshi textile worker murdered in a racially motivated attack in London in 1978. A third depicts the multicultural life of Queen’s Market in Newham, highlighting migration, labor, and community identity.
Saleem said the project reflects concerns over growing anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment, describing the work as “a story of migration and of belonging.” He said the exhibition challenges narratives that portray Muslims as outsiders by emphasizing centuries of Muslim presence in Europe.
Historians noted that the exhibition also reflects the complex legacy of Islamic civilization in Europe, particularly the history of Muslim communities in medieval Spain and their later persecution during the Spanish Inquisition.
Visitors said the exhibition highlights a contradiction between Europe’s continued appreciation of Islamic art and heritage and the discrimination faced by some Muslim communities today.
