REFLECTIONS — SANGAT AND THE SELF: Exhibition Walkthrough
Led by trained practitioners, our exhibition walkthroughs open space for conversation and deeper exploration of the exhibition’s themes and insights.
About the exhibition
A participatory exhibition inviting reflection on personal and collective wellbeing through art.
Developed in collaboration with without SHAPE without FORM, an assembly of artists, thinkers and cultural practitioners rooted in Sikh philosophy, REFLECTIONS — SANGAT AND THE SELF brings together recent works by London-based painter Jasmir Creed and Birmingham-based artist Roo Dhissou alongside key works from the Whitworth collection.
The exhibition explores individuality, kinship and healing through community and spiritual practice. Visitors are invited into a shared space for reflection and dialogue, where healing is recognised as both a personal and collective experience. Amid growing mental strain and social fragmentation, the exhibition invites us to embrace reflection, connection and care as essential daily practices.
Works from the Whitworth collection help shape an environment of attentiveness and presence. Selected works by artists including Anish Kapoor, Chris Ofili and Bridget Riley invite reflection on emotional and psychological states, acting as forms of medicine for the mind. Interactive works encourage slow looking, thoughtful engagement, and offer practical tools for mental wellbeing.
Jasmir Creed’s work foregrounds the interior life of the individual, exploring emotional intensity, self-awareness, and the role of introspection in healing. In contrast, Roo Dhissou situates healing within shared experience. Drawing on practices of gathering, compassion and mutual care, her work centres community as a vital space of support and renewal.
A year-long public programme runs alongside the exhibition, with workshops, wellbeing sessions and social gatherings developed with partners including Wellcome Collection, London. A programme of Manji Gatherings and exchanges brings together artists, cultural leaders and health practitioners to explore belonging through shared experience.
A magazine and podcast series produced during the exhibition will expand on its themes with contributions from a range of voices, including local community groups, artists, students and Simran practitioners.