Corner Shop Series.
RCA MA Print Work
During Haseebah’s time on RCA’s MA Print course, she explored the corner shop, revisiting her own memories of the family rented shop in Birmingham and the role that this plays in British society. Through this a body of work has been created that highlights the corner shop as a civic space which caters to anyone and everyone, and how ‘bossman’ is custodian to this. Haseebah completed a masters in Printmaking at the Royal College of Art from 25-26 which was generously funded by RCA’s ‘The President and Vice Chancellor's UK Scholarship’ as well as Aziz Foundation.
Photographs have continuously been a source of inspiration, whether archival or communal. Haseebah’s corner shop series work starts off with a photograph. The image being found in a crumpled plastic bag in the back of a cupboard her Nani’s (maternal grandmothers) house, may explain how stories wait to be discovered and shared at the right moment. An image of her paternal grandfather dressed in his traditional South Asian suit in the family corner shop appears. A rented space in The Fold, Kings Norton, Birmingham. The photograph shows early imagery of an immigrant bossman standing proud in his small family business.
Through frequent visits and slow conversations to create the corner shop series, Haseebah shares an insight into contemporary British society and how we not only see the corner shop as a space to get what we need, but also a place that serves anyone and everyone. As with a lot of discussions around who belongs in the country and who doesn’t, it’s a reminder that we live in a world of globalisation that has always been rooted in cross-border trade, mutual and un-mutual exchange and communication.
The hardground etching is based off a photograph of Khalid, a corner shop owner in Balsall Heath.
The artwork is encased in a hand carved relief print which is inspired by South Asian embroidery and textile. The motif is seen in a lot of womenswear and is symbolic to celebration and gathering. The deep mustard of the inner border along with the linen mount mirrors the colour of turmeric which is an ayurvedic medicine and restores health. These two elements are important with the artwork as it centres around how the corner shop as well as corner shop owners are central to community which is about gathering and good health.
J&F Foods B12
2026
61 x 76cm
Hardground etching and aquatint with relief print and antique frame
Edition of 4, 2 available for purchase.
The hardground etching is based off a photograph of Haseebah’s paternal grandfather working in the family shop in Kings Norton, Birmingham which her family rented from the 80’s till the early 2010’s. The relief print repeat paisley background mimics a Kashmiri textile piece, which correlates to the families heritage as well as the links between trade and labour between Britain and South Asia.
Happy Shoppa B38
2026
61 x 76cm
Hardground etching and aquatint with relief print and antique frame
Edition of 4, 2 available for purchase.
The etching is a drawing based off an image of Hassan reaching for a packet of cigarettes at the shop counter.
The image is encased in a lino print Turkish ornamental design. Hassan’s family are Kurdish Turkish originally from Istanbul and this pattern is based off a mosque ceiling in Sultan Ahmet mosque in Istanbul on a recent visit to the city. The deep red of the linen mount represents the red of the Kurdish flag of Hassan’s cultural heritage. The ornamental frame is also sourced from an antique shop in Istanbul.
Blackhorse rd Supermarket 17
2026
66 x 52cm
Hardground etching and aquatint with relief print and antique frame
Edition of 4, 2 available for purchase.
Digital print on paper
The artworks were also accompanied by a digitally printed wallpaper in a repeat pattern style. The motif, a 12 pointed star used in corner shops as a pricing tool but also symbolic to Islam, carry archival and contemporary imagery that related to the specific framed artwork it surrounds itself in. From portraits to shop items and maps, the wallpaper provides a clue into the stories behind the shop and the conversation they carry around globalisation, trade and community.
For Haseebah corner shops are spaces that have always been filled with the scent of familiarity, curiosity and nostalgia. She hopes to continue this exploration of people and place in the future and the connections we hold and share.