Drawing on Heritage: Maryam Huq

Final set of postcards by Maryam Huq

Earlier this summer, Rabbits Road Press commissioned four local artists to develop a set of risograph printed cards celebrating any aspect of Newham’s heritage that spoke to them. Supported by Newham Heritage Month, the project, Drawing on Heritage, was inspired by the work of celebrated local artist Magde Gill (1882-1961) who created many drawings on postcards. As part of their artist residency, each of the commissioned artists, Amandine Forest-Aguié, Maryam Huq, Jo Wood, and Maryam Adam, spent one month visiting sites, doing research and learning about risograph printing. In this Drawing on Heritage blog series, each artist shares their residency experience. Join us for our Drawing on Heritage: Postcard Launch event which will be part of Newham Heritage Month this September 2025. The event will take place at Rabbits Road Press on Saturday September 27th 4-7pm, it’s free to attend but booking is required. Book your free place here.

 Artist Biography

Maryam Huq is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator whose work explores themes of heritage and belonging. While she grew up in North London, she has lived in Newham for the past eighteen years - ‘it's where I've put down roots and truly feel at home’. As Newham prepares to celebrate its 60th birthday, Maryam wanted to explore areas of the borough that have welcomed generations of immigrants through her residency project. Being third-generation Bangladeshi, she was especially interested in places that have become important to South Asian communities.

Residency Reflection by Maryam Huq

The Archives

On the first day of the residency, our group visited the Newham Archives at Stratford Library. The archivists gave us a warm introduction to their collections and systems, then let us browse through original postcards and artworks by local artist Madge Gill. I'd heard her name mentioned occasionally over the years, but this was my first time seeing her work in person. The experience was overwhelming in the best way - her prolific output and evolving style left me in awe. For the next couple of hours, I lost myself in the archive's green folders, each carefully numbered and organized. The retail section particularly caught my attention, with its photos of bustling crowds at Queens Market, East Ham Market Hall, and Stratford Mall. One image stayed with me - women in neatly pressed salwar kameez with matching knit cardigans navigating the busy aisles. It felt like looking at a family album of a community I belonged to but hadn't witnessed firsthand.

When I moved to the green spaces section, I discovered Victorian-era photographs of West Ham Park that showed a completely different era. Families in stiff formal wear posed under trees, and there were even images of sheep grazing near a cottage I'd never noticed despite many childhood visits. These unexpected finds made me think about how much places change while staying fundamentally the same.

Above: the Bandstand in West Ham park and Old photo of sheep grazing. Source: Newham Archives

This line of thought brought back memories of the Boleyn Cinema on Barking Road. In the early 2000s, it was one of the few cinemas in London dedicated to Bollywood films. I remember going with my family to watch Veer-Zaara, now considered a classic. The plush red seats, the smell of samosas in the lobby, the way everyone reacted to the dramatic scenes together - it wasn't just entertainment, but a shared cultural experience. I found myself looking up other historic theaters like Stratford Broadway and the Coronation Cinema (now called the Royal Regency), each with its own story of adaptation and survival.

Boleyn Cinema on Barking Road, formerly an Odeon Theatre. Source for both images: Chester Cinemas

Rabbits Road Press

Back at Rabbits Road Press, we began distilling our research into four postcard-sized artworks. Normally I work digitally, but I decided to challenge myself with collage, a medium I hadn't properly explored before. The studio was full of materials - old magazines, paper scraps, leftover bits from previous projects. There was something satisfying about the physical process of cutting shapes, arranging compositions, and gluing pieces down. It made me slow down and think differently about how images relate to each other.

Initial sketches and planning

The risograph printing added another layer of challenge and excitement. I chose pink, dark blue and yellow - bold colors that would capture the energy of the places I wanted to represent. What I love about risograph is how unpredictable it can be. The colors overlap in ways you can't completely control, creating happy accidents that often improve the work. With help from riso technician, Sofia, my collages transformed into vibrant prints that seemed to pulse with life.

3 layers of collage in preparation for Riso printing at Rabbits Road Press

Photo of 3 children in the East Ham’s Children Library, from the year 1984. Source: Newham Archives

Looking Back

This residency gave me more than I anticipated. It wasn't just about making art, but about connecting with Newham's layers of history and community. Seeing Madge Gill's work up close, discovering forgotten photographs, revisiting personal memories - all of it showed me how art and place are deeply intertwined. Newham isn't just where I live; it's where countless stories intersect, including my own. As the borough celebrates sixty years, I'm reminded that home isn't just a location on a map. It's in the shared experiences, the familiar corners, and the quiet understanding that you belong. I hope my artwork captures even a small part of that feeling.

 The four final pieces paid tribute to:

 Boleyn Cinema - celebrating those magical Bollywood screenings that brought communities together

East Ham Children's Library - honoring spaces of learning and imagination

West Ham Park Bandstand - remembering music and gatherings in green spaces

Newham's Green Spaces - appreciating the borough's quiet retreats

Final set of postcards by Maryam Huq