How do museums tell stories? What do we leave out? How was/is power used?
These are some of the questions asked by Khawaab Mahal and Absent Presence, two works from artist and writer Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, commissioned and co-created with Ways of Working, an arts and community platform for social change.
Both pieces began their journey in South Wales, where Nasia and Ways of Working are based. Through the exploration of collections at National Museum Wales and Powis Castle and working with the communities of Cardiff, a new series of works were made responding to Welsh, British and global history of empire.
Tracing a line of enquiry which found many tributaries – from Tipu Sultan to the industrial wealth of Wales, to Clive of India to a call for prayer which echoes inside the tent of dreams – these works explore if museums can ask the questions that lie dormant in their collections. They will be exhibited in the South Asia Gallery from Thursday 29 May until Sunday 31 August 2025.
Khawaab Mahal
Khawaab Mahal (Dream Palace) invites you to step inside the world of Tipu Sultan, the legendary 18th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in South India, to experience his dreams and witness a conversation across time.
The installation reimagines Tipu Sultan’s tent, which was looted by Clive of India’s son Edward Clive, after Tipu died in battle. This beautiful tent, now housed at Powis Castle, became a symbol of British domination, often used for garden parties – an insult to its original purpose.
The recreated tent uses digital images of the original, printed on fabric. Also printed inside the tent, are extracts from Tipu’s dream journal. His dreams were dominated by the desire to defeat the British and through this installation, the artist engaged in a personal dialogue with him. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in Tipu’s world, surrounded by soundscapes and dreams, reclaiming a space once taken through force.
Absent Presence
This film, featuring the dancer Sanea Singh, was shot within the grounds of St Fagans Castle and reflects on the castle’s colonial past. Sanea’s fluid movements engaged with the castle’s architecture and gardens, reclaiming the space as her own.
The film speaks to the themes of plunder, rebellion, and the silenced stories of South Asia, drawing a connection between the past and present.
Khawaab Mahal and Absent Presence
“Artworks originally commissioned by Ways of Working for National Museum Wales. This exhibition is specially created for the South Asia Gallery, funded by Manchester Museum, part of the University of Manchester.”