Courses for Dis-Course(s)
The Podcast and Publication

Hi I’m Roo, I’m an artist and researcher and I really need your support. I have just launched Jalebi Press. Our first book serves a a legacy to a group of talented artists of British South Asian heritage. The last large book written specifically for and around British Asian visual artists (not just solo artists) was published in 2001. 23 years later and there has still been little to no development. This is what Jalebi Press seeks to change. 

Clich here to pledge your support. 

Courses for Dis-Course(s) is a 500 page publication and podcast project that I have been working on for the past 2 years. It is a legacy for a rich multidimensional artwork that sought to raise the voices and experiences of artists working at the intersections of visual practice, often excluded due to their experiences and heritages. 

"This artist publication is written for all those who identify with the term “British South Asian woman artist” (BAWA), those that defy it, those that loosely define it, those that sit on the margins of it and those that find themselves in the mess of it all." - Roo Dhissou




The book contains a rich selection of imagery by photographer Sancha, this will be their first ever photo book in their 15+ year career. It features writing from artists such as Yasmeen Fathima Thantrey, Raju Rage and Seema Mattu as well as others. It includes some of my own writing, biographies and introductions to the artists involved in the project, interviews with Kavitha Balasingham, Sharonjit Sutton and a documentation of work made with Abbas Zahedi. 



The book coexists alongside an 8 episode podcast that works as a soundscape to the visual narrative included within its pages. Without this book, the project loses legacy, longevity and becomes yet another lost pursuit in the arts for British Asian folk. Funding for this publication goes directly towards paying the writers and artists involved and to high quality printing by Holodeck in Birmingham, an independent printmaking and design studio. It also goes directly towards funding specially selected paper stock by GF Smith whose who high quality papers have been hand selected to best reproduce the images. The project is not for profit. Once printed the books will go directly to art libraries and collections such as Iniva, local art schools libraries for students to continue to be inspired and represented, and be donated back to all the wonderful people who made this project possible. 



Courses for Dis-Course(s) included a series of exhibitions and dining events for British South Asian artists. I wanted to explore who gets a seat at the table, the politics of orthodoxies, the art space, the home, the kitchen and the gallery. But most of all I wanted to support myself and other British asian artists in their practices. I applied for arts council funding to make the project reality. We supported people access and care needs and all the participants were paid to attend the dinners. We discussed and share all of our pains, and people came as they were without the requirement to perform identities  or be exploited in anyway. In fact it was the opposite, it was a case of how do we support each other and each others’ art careers. The project concludes with the launch of an 8-episode podcast and 500 page publication. The launch takes place on 21st September 2024 from 6-10pm at Primary. 



Courses for Dis-Course(s) is a project that Roo has been working on for the past 18 months and with your help she can do justice to over 21 artists and realise the publication in its best form, preserving the legacy of an incredibly generous, joyful, healing project. It will serve as a legacy to the work, the artists and wider infrastructures. With your backing Roo can gift copies to all of those involved. If you are an arts school or institution please contemplate buying this publication for your libraries to preserve future legacies of global majority artists.

Details of the launch event can be found here. The podcast goes live on 21st September 2024 via all major podcasting streams.