Culture, language, friendship and fabric have interwoven to create Newcastle Library’s latest exhibition.
Social Fabric: Afghan-Australian Stories in Thread explores how Afghan women are finding ways to bring healing to their new home through textile arts and fashion.
The collection is the brainchild of Newcastle-based participatory arts organisation Shared World Collective, in partnership with Newcastle Libraries.
The pieces themselves are courtesy of local Afghan artisans and diverse Afghan-Australian fashion designers.
Each item attests to the creativity and resilience of Afghan women.
Local exhibition contributors Najia Najia, Shafiqa Sadat and Aziza Amwari produced hand-embroidered scarves while taking part in Social Fabric workshops.
The trio have called Newcastle home since fleeing their war-ravaged towns in recent years.
The workshops encouraged them to share their culture with Shared World Collective directors Katrina Flett Gulbrandsen and Alissa Herbaly Coons.
“I’m very happy with the exhibition,” says Shafiqa Sadat.
“I see lots of memories of Afghanistan and [they are] alive in this exhibition, the beautiful clothes and beautiful materials make me feel happy and comfortable because they are from our culture, our traditions, it means a lot to us.
“It means our culture never dies. It can be alive in Australia, and we can share it with people here and they can learn what it means to us. That makes us happy.”
The exhibition features a timeline of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
From the 1920s when Queen Consort Soraya Tarzi broke long-standing cultural tradition by serving the country in public and ceasing to wear a veil, to when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021 and women were no longer permitted to appear in public.
“Fashion offers a rich focus for the exchange of personal and political ideas, and for Afghan women the stakes have never been higher,” says Ms Gulbrandsen.
“Exhibition contributors engage with heritage and identity and express heartfelt advocacy for women’s rights in Afghanistan.
“Together with the women of the Social Fabric community, we invite you to visit the exhibition and join the conversation.”
Social Fabric: Afghan-Australian Stories in Thread will be on display at Lovett Gallery, Newcastle Library, from 25 March to 24 June.
For more stories like this:
- Daredevils primed for Hunter Valley Airshow
- Your guide to markets in our region
- Redhead Beach pump track to begin construction
Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
