The Dog’s in the Car by Tami Aftab
Tami Aftab explores family, illness and identity in her exhibition The Dog’s In the Car.
by Sheena Campbell
The Dog’s in the Car by Tami Aftab is on show now as part of Format Festival 2021.
Aftab uses a playful voice to question what she describes as the hushed tones that can surround illness.
Her work raises questions on collaboration and consent, family as subject and the space between documentary and performance.
The Dog’s in the Car
This exhibition is a story about a father-daughter relationship and how one family controls their lives dictated by illness and identity.
Aftab says: “‘The dog’s in the car’, mum shouts from upstairs.
“My dad, Tony, has been running around the house, in and out of the garden thinking that he has lost Rudi, our dog.
“This is a common occurrence, where dad drives back from a dog walk, forgets the dog’s in the car, comes into the house, and proceeds to think that he has lost him.
“My dad, Tony, suffers with hydrocephalus. Around 25 years ago an accident occurred in operation that permanently damaged his short-term memory.”
The Dog’s in the Car is available to view at Déda, Derby, and online via the Format Festival website until July 18.
Spectrum produced vinyl and C-type Lustre prints for the exhibition.
Click here for more information and opening times.
Tami Aftab
Aftab is a London-born and based photographer. She graduated with a BA in Photography at London College of Communication UAL in 2020.
Her work is intimate, playful, and performative, with clients including WeTransfer, Refinery29, FT Weekend, BJP, and Port Magazine.
Find out more about Tami’s work at tamiaftab.com.