On the 18th January 2017, artist and archivist Faisal Hussain got a call from Muhammed Ayyub. Oriental Star Agencies was closing. Mr.Ayyub, founder of OSA told Faisal ‘If you want anything, you better come now’. Faisal hurried over to salvage whatever he could in his family’s frozen food company van.
Digging through OSA’s iconic vinyl collection had been a passion shared by Faisal, his father and grandfather, and the opportunity to archive and honour the record store and label’s significance in South Asian history and diaspora was too important to miss. Faisal managed to save nearly 4000 artefacts, including nearly 3000 vinyl records.
Faisal is not alone in his personal connection. Oriental Star Agencies music and influence spanned generations and reached many households in its locale Balsall Heath, the UK and beyond. The collection and the memories that come with it, became integral to True Form Projects’ vision in celebrating and protecting heritage for generations to come.