Zarina Bhimji

• Name — Zarina Bhimji • Born — 1963 • Birthplace — Mbarara, Uganda • Occupation — Photographer • Education — Leicester Polytechnic (1982–1983); Goldsmiths' College (1983–1986); Slade School of Fine Art; University College London (1987–1989)

Born in Mbarara, Uganda, Bhimji was educated at Leicester Polytechnic (1982–1983), Goldsmiths' College (1983–1986) and Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (1987–1989).

Her work appeared in Creative Camera in April 1990, and in Ten.8 magazine in 1992. In 2001, Bhimji had her first solo exhibition in the U.S., Cleaning the Garden, at Talwar Gallery, New York. She participated in documenta 11 in June to September 2002 with her 16 mm film. From 2003 to 2007, 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. • Illustration — Zarina Bhimji book, published 2012. 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 the Whitechapel Gallery. The film was inspired by trade and migration across the Indian Ocean. An accompanying book was published by Ridinghouse. Consisting of over 100 unframed photographs and multiple embroideries, Lead White is a meditation on power and beauty. It is the culmination of a decade-long investigation conducted over multiple continents, delving into national archives to capture details of words, lines, stamps and embossing. Bhimji creates poetic narratives by editing and repeating these details, as if constructing a musical composition, to explore what archives do, how they categorise and how they reveal institutional ideologies. The work also combines digital and physical crafts – including the use of embroidery for the first time in Bhimji's practice – drawing attention to textures and traces, light and shadow. Her latest work, Lead White has been commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation. Lead White was exhibited at Tate Britain in 2018/19.

Zarina Bhimji is recorded with the occupation video installation artist. Recorded as artist, photographer and documentarian.

Bhimji's work is held in the following public collections: • Tate • Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago • Moderna Museet in Stockholm