To coincide with our screening of If you know, you know (18 – 21 February 2021), Marcus Jack‘s guest-curated programme of experimental film, artists’ moving image and animation made in Scotland between 1970 and 2020, we are proud to support the publication of a new book featuring new writing by artist filmmakers Jasleen Kaur and Alia Syed.

Issue 3 (Winter 2020/21) of DOWSER, Transit Arts’ series of newly commissioned essays, interview transcripts and archival materials on artists’ moving image in Scotland, is a special tête-bêche double edition featuring Jasleen Kaur and Alia Syed’s ‘Jugalbandi’ – two entwined texts responding to the shared experience of growing up Scottish and South Asian in Glasgow. Departing from each other’s moving-image practice, they express the pain of desiring to find oneself in a culture whose colonial campaign has sought to flatten and petrify. Rhythm, lyric and voice are offered as tools for private resistance, for spell-breaking.

Edited by Marcus Jack, DOWSER is a non-profit project, released as an open access online PDF and in a limited print edition of 250. Print versions will be available for a contribution of £2.50, inclusive of a minimum £2.00 donation to the Scottish Refugee Council (Registered Charity: SC008639).

Available to read and pre-order here, via Transit Arts, from 15 February 2021.

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JASLEEN KAUR was born in Glasgow and is now based in London. Her practice examines diasporic identity and hierarchies of history, both colonial and personal. She works with sculpture, video and writing.

ALIA SYED was born in Wales and lives in London. She has been making films in the UK for more than 25 years. Syed’s unique approach sutures different subject positions in relation to culture, diaspora and location.