The Library of Birmingham is hosting an exhibition comprised of art, photography, audio-visual content, botany, military items and more in commemoration of the 1919 massacre in Amritsar, India that played a key part in the dissolution of the British Empire.
Commissioned through a collaboration of the Manchester Museum and the Partition Museum in Amritsar, the exhibition marks 100 years since the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar and 200 years since the Peterloo massacre in Manchester. Both massacres were committed by the British Army on defenceless subjects at peaceful protests. The exhibition campaigns to re-open conversation in UK parliament in hopes of formal apologies and commemorative recognition.
Exploring the event in Amritsar on 13th April 1919, the causes and aftermath, the exhibition brings back to life the details we remember and the ones we’ve forgotten. With unrest spreading through the British Empire at the time, protestors in the enclosed area of Jallianwala Bagh were gathered to challenge British rule in a peaceful bid for political change. Colonel Reginald Dyer gave the order for British troops to open fire on the congregation, needlessly killing hundreds and injuring thousands. This massacre became a defining moment and contributed to the driving force leading to the downfall of the British Empire in South Asia.
The exhibition is based on years of research and curation supported by the Jallianwala Bagh Centenary Commemoration Committee. With renowned artists such as the Singh Twins exhibiting award winning work, the exhibition is full of cultural debate and social politics. To formulate the narrative, the exhibition has been split three ways – the history of oppression in India, the massacre itself and how it divided opinion and finally the impact and legacy of the event.
Jallianwala Bagh 1919: Punjab Under Siege exhibition can be viewed at the Library of Birmingham from 13th April – 22nd June 2019. The exhibition is open every day from 11am-5pm and is free of charge.
Learn valuable cultural and political history and help raise awareness of the massacre – don’t miss out.
