The October Anthropologist is a global anthropological consultancy specializing in anthropological research for a variety of purposes: from public art and education to innovation and design.  Nazima Kadir, the principal, is an anthropologist with a PhD from Yale with over 20 years of experience conducting and applying anthropological research. Her book, The Autonomous Life, published by Manchester University Press, was shortlisted for the BBC Ethnography award. It was featured on Radio 4 and Wired magazine.

We were honored to have our ‘Baristas Under Brexit’ project chosen to be part of the inaugural Brent Biennial, being held 19 September – 30 December 2020.

The October Anthropologist team has conducted research into the lives of Southern and Eastern European immigrants who work as baristas in London cafes. The project examines their invisible contributions and how their educational and cultural backgrounds are essential to the carefully crafted café culture in London.

Through interviews uncovering stories about their lives and labour histories, the project seeks to reveal multiple layers of what it means to be an immigrant in London today. This includes discriminatory barriers that prevent Southern and Eastern European baristas from using their education and employment skills in London’s labour market.

Working with Abäke, a transdisciplinary graphic design collective, our team have analyzed and translated the research findings into a series of visual assets using the lexicon of specialist London cafes. Research findings and the visual assets were presented online on 4 October 2020 as culmination of the project.

Visual Artifacts: The October Anthropologist/Åbäke   Photographs © Hydar Dewachi