Book Launch Sarojini Lewis – A Shift of Identity: Visuals of Migrant Women
Sarojini Lewis will present her book, A Shift of Identity: Visuals of Migrant Women, together with designer Edwin van Gelder and publisher Jap Sam Books. In this book, Lewis interweaves her own story with her research into the history of female migrant workers from India, particularly from the Bhojpuri region. Many of these women travelled to Suriname and Mauritius, where they worked on sugarcane plantations.
18 September 2025 17:00 - 18:30
Lewis examines how contemporary artists from the Bhojpuri diaspora depict their mixed heritage and history through art. She connects this with archival photographs, stories from her Afro-Surinamese family and the work of other Indian artists. The book highlights how cultures and rituals are intertwined, and how the voices of women in these narratives are often overlooked.
Sarojini Lewis gives a voice to these women of the past. Through archival images and art, she shows us how female indentured labourers from the diaspora asserted their presence. She invites us to look at archival images differently: not as fixed items, but as living things that are open to new interpretations.
Sarojini Lewis
Sarojini Lewis lives and works in Rotterdam and Suriname. She creates photographs, video art and books. She studied at the University of Edinburgh, later receiving her PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. Her research focuses on female perspectives in archival photography of indentured labourers, using a contemporary and interdisciplinary approach.
Language: Dutch | Location: Nieuwe Instituut | RSVP (Free)
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Combine this event with a visit to our exhibitions – admission to the museum is free on Thursday evenings. Fancy a bite to eat? Join us in the Nieuwe Café!