Thread Memory Design Activities
Commissioned by V&A Dundee, I collaborated with Palestinian historian, Wafa Ghnaim, to create a series of activity sheets inspired by the Thread Memory exhibition.
Thread Memory explores Tatreez, traditional Palestinian embroidery, in the context of the current genocide and in the wider history of its usage as a symbol of resistence against oppression.
I worked closely with Wafa to develop ideas for activities, with the hope that the resources could act as starting points to conversations about Palestine in different ways. The activities explore Tatreez motifs, Thobe decoration, the twinning of Nablus and Dundee, and creating playful landscapes for Palestinian people.
The sheets are intended for a variety of age groups, and will be used within and outwith the museum, distributed in local libraries to inspire learnings, conversations and preservation of Palestinian culture.
"It was a pleasure to work alongside Wafa Ghnaim and V&A Dundee to develop these activities to accompany the Thread Memory exhibition.
I loved working with Wafa to develop prompts to imagine places of peace for Palestinian children, construct patterns of solidarity between Dundee and Nablus, and create designs inspired by the power of Tatreez.
I hope the resources act as a starting point for conversations about the horrific experiences of Palestinian people under the current genocide, and about their beautiful cultures which are under threat."
Stitching Stories
Stitching Stories celebrates the twinning of Dundee and Nablus, and inspires participants to create patterns to show solidarity between the cities.
The design features a top section made up of illustrations of both cities, twin doves and a sea connecting the two lands.
The bottom section is made up of repeated patterns developed during the Common Threads Community Project. The project made use of tradititional Tatreez motifs, combining and repeating the designs to create new patterns showing solidarity with Palestine.
Tatreez as a Language
Tatreez as a Language looks at Tatreez motifs as methods to communicate ideas and experiences of Palestinian people.
After learning about the meanings of four different Tatreez motifs, audiences are invited to design their own patterns to symbolise something in their life.
The design features drawings of the mentioned motifs, and a grid base to assist in the creation of their own pattern.
In order to be sensitive to preserving Palestinian culture, participants are invited to create a ‘pattern’, to maintain the distinction between these creations and authentic Tatreez motifs.
Love of Land
Love of Land encourages audiences to design a peaceful landscape of birds, trees, and flowers for the children of Palestine. This design was inspired by the story of a child’s dress that survived the bombing of a museum in Gaza, and is exhibited within V&A Dundee as part of the Thread Memory.
The design features a selection of nature themed Tatreez motifs along the bottom of the sheet, as inspiration to help populate the landscape. It also features a quote from a Gaza folk song - “I wish I was like you, dove, I wish I could fly like you”.
Although not explicitly stating the current genocide in Gaza, the sheet aims to act as a starting point for conversations about people of Gaza currently being unable to live in peace.
Decorate a Dress
Decorate a Dress encourages participants to explore Thread Memory, and take inspiration from the marks, motifs, shapes, and colours before decorating their own Thobe for themselves or someone they love.
The designs can be created using any methods they would like, as is an opportunity to look more widely at the layout of a Thobe and how the designs are typically applied.
Take a Wander
Take a Wander is inspired by the creatures found in the Thread Memory exhibition, on the different Thobes.
The sheet can be used as a colouring sheet, or as a trail to find the different animals in the museum.
Story of the Thobe
Story of the Thobe encourages participants to act as a researcher or historian, looking closely at a Thobe in the Thread Memory exhibition. They are instructed to look for details, fabric type, embroidered details and the colours used.
Using this information, and looking for evidence of wear, the participant imagines who wore the dress and what might have happened while they wore it.
The task remains open to interpretation, and could be a starting point for conversation about what daily life might look like in Gaza, or be used for a fully imagined story. The output can be created using story, drawings, storyboarding or simply notes.
Finding Connections
Finding Connections aims to link participants with Palestine through elements of nature we all experience.
Inspired by the Hawthorn plant, participants are prompted to draw or write about their favourite flower. Inspired by the star or moon motif, they are invited to look at shapes we share in our sky. Looking at the Cypress tree, participants are encouraged to draw and think about trees nearby, and inspired by the dove, prompted to look at birds flying in our sky.
Each area is surrounded by borders of drawings inspired by Tatreez motifs.