MELBOURNE.- A new exhibition now on view at the Immigration Museum from, Fam by Where are you from? (WAYF), aims to destigmatise and prioritise conversations about race and family.

For many people of colour living in predominantly white communities, the question ‘Where are you from?’ is a regular encounter. While this enquiry may be considered harmless, it can feel othering.

WAYF is a project created by Melbourne curator and writer Sabina McKenna to celebrate, educate and raise awareness about the BIPOC (black and indigenous people of colour) identity through art and storytelling.

As part of this ongoing project, Sabina brings Fam to Immigration Musem from 26 August. Consisting of 15 portraits and stories, the exhibition documents the experiences of mixed and multi-ethnic families in Australia to explore how they grapple with differences in perspective and lived experience.

‘We are thrilled to welcome this thought-provoking and nuanced exhibition to the Immigration Museum because it really connects with our mission of exploring identity and belonging,’ said Immigration Museum General Manager Rohini Kappadath.

Like the Immigration Museum, Fam fosters the exchange of stories about culture and history, and fearlessly discusses the big questions of life.

‘I believe that the combination of perspectives, and the creative excellence that is the Immigration Museum, will provide a valuable opportunity to approach these topics from a fresh and unique perspective, and on a much larger scale than has been achieved so far,’ said Sabina.

Sabina McKenna

Sabina McKenna is an Australian writer and curator of Nigerian-Irish heritage. She is the creator of The Where Are You From? project, a photojournalistic series about cultural identity.

Sabina writes predominantly in interview style and has been featured locally and internationally in publications that include Youtime, The Big Issue, Partial Magazine, Frankie Magazine, Art Almanac, Broadsheet, Fashion Journal Magazine, Archer, Acclaim, i-D, G-IRL (London), Ladies of Leisure, Catalogue Magazine, and Hopes and Fears (NYC).

Her diverse creative portfolio explores themes of identity and belonging, and she is involved in a range of creative initiatives and institutions Where are you from? has achieved local and international acclaim, with features in press publications that include ABC TV, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Frankie Magazine, iD UK, Fashion Journal Magazine, Acclaim Magazine, ArtsHub, Zee Feed, Vice, Broadsheet, ABC Life, ABC Radio, Triple R and FBI Radio Sydney.

Immigration Museum
Fam by Where are you from?
August 26th, 2023 - January 28th, 2024