Manifesting in heroic scale a figure often overlooked by media and advertising, Hetain Patel broadcasts ‘Baa’s House 11’ a poignant new commission for CIRCA showcasing a first-generation immigrant matriarch towering over the streets of London, Milan, New York, Seoul and Tokyo throughout November.  

Presented in collaboration with The Film London Jarman Award, ‘Baa’s House 11’ embodies the spirit of  iconoclastic filmmaker and polemical gay activist Derek Jarman. Influenced by his legacy of challenging  perceptions, giving a voice to marginalised communities and pushing creative practices forward, The Mayor  of London has supported Patel in creating a special trompe-l’oeil 3D experience exclusively for Piccadilly  Lights, as part of their ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign.  

Exploring themes of immigration and identity on a global stage, ‘Baa’s House 11’ pays homage to Patel’s  grandmother, performed by Indian Kathak dancer, Vina Ladwa. Co-opting billboard spaces in five major  cities, Patel shows his grandmother looking out from the screen, empowered in everyday labour, whilst surveying passers by watching below. Typically under-represented in such spaces of mass media and  advertising, the matriarch challenges audiences around the world to confront the power of such  torchbearers of cultural heritage within the migrant community. 

Patel, winner of the 12th Film London Jarman Award notes:

I am interested in a representation of my  grandmother occupying this space instead, striking, and powerful in her domestic action…. The invitation  to occupy such iconic spaces around the world is huge – physically, artistically, and culturally. Working at  this scale is both daunting and thrilling. I can’t wait to share this new commission with audiences in London  and beyond.

Hetain Patel is a celebrated British artist of Indian descent who frequently works with family members,  exploring the creative potential inherent in familial bonds and domestic settings.

Hetain Patel is a London-based artist and filmmaker.

His films, sculptures, live performances, paintings and photographs have been shown worldwide in galleries, theatres, and on iconic public screens including Piccadilly Circus, London and Times Square, New York. His works have been presented at the Venice Biennale, Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing and Tate Modern, London to Sadler’s Wells, where he is a New Wave Associate.

Patel’s work exploring identity and freedom, using choreography, text and popular culture appears in multiple formats and media, intended to reach the widest possible audience. His video and performance work online have been watched over 50 million times, which includes his TED talk of 2013 titled, ‘Who Am I? Think Again’.

Patel is represented by Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai, is a supported artist at Copperfield, London, a Patron of QUAD, Derby, and a trustee of the Liverpool Biennial. He is the winner of the Film London Jarman Award, 2019, Kino Der Kunst Festival’s Best International Film 2020, and was selected for British Art Show 9, 2021/22. In 2021 Patel received a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Artist Award, a Henry Moore Foundation Award, declined a British Empire Medal and was a judge on Sky Arts television series, Landmark.

Patel’s works are in public and private collections in the UK and internationally, including Tate, British Council, Arts Council England, Government Art Collection, Manchester Art Gallery, M+ Museum Hong Kong, KNMA New Delhi, and Fondazione In Between Art Film, Rome.