“My dad was a pilot for Gulf Air, based in Bahrain. My mum is English and she worked for the same airline. She moved there over thirty years ago. And that’s where they met. Over the years they’ve adapted each other’s cultures into their own lives. But for me it was always difficult to relate to both sides of my dual nationality. I grew up in Bahrain. When I was younger I wanted to relate more to my English side. I went to an international school where everyone was either British or some other foreign nationality. There were no locals. But recently I’ve come to regret that. Not being able to speak Arabic for example. I feel it devalues my identity somehow. A lot of my dad’s family speak English but the older generation don’t, like my grandmother. I can’t communicate with her which is really sad. I go back whenever I can. And I’m exploring the British and Arab polarities of my split identity through my art practice. Hoping I can associate myself back with the Arab side of myself.”