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Paper short abstract

This paper presents a collaboration with the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe based in their place of worship, a former art deco cinema. The research (re)presents ritual and spatial practices through immersive film installations, challenging static heritage narratives by centring community agency.

Paper long abstract

This paper presents a two-year collaboration with the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZFTE) community at Rayners Lane, a former cinema transformed into a vibrant place of worship. This transformation forms the foundation of a site-specific artistic research project that investigates how diaspora faith communities creatively adapt disused cinemas into sacred spaces. Central to the research is the methodology of site-integrity, a collaborative, site-specific approach that documents and re-presents community practices through performative film installations.

The paper explores how interactive workshops and collaborative filmmaking fostered intergenerational dialogue and enhanced community engagement throughout the research. This process culminated in the co-creation of motorised recording/playback devices that synchronise recorded footage with architectural features, generating holographic illusions that capture the essence of ritual practice. These installations move beyond traditional documentaries, acting as immersive, performative tools that engage both the tangible heritage of the cinema’s architecture and the intangible cultural practices of the community.

The paper examines how this artistic research challenges static narratives of cultural heritage by enabling faith communities to document and analyse their lived experiences, fostering a nuanced, inclusive understanding that reflects evolving social and cultural dynamics. It offers innovative strategies for safeguarding multicultural narratives while also highlighting the crucial role of community-led initiatives in fostering inclusivity in heritage practices.

This work forms part of a larger RIBA-funded project, Moving Pictures: Reusing Cinemas as Places of Worship in the Diaspora, co-led with architectural historian Kate Jordan.