SUZANI STORIES: CELEBRATING HERITAGE, COMMUNITY AND LIFE THROUGH AFGHAN NEEDLEWORK
22 FEBRUARY - 2 MARCH
THE SOCIAL STUDIO SHOP, COLLINGWOOD YARDS, 6/30 PERRY STREET, COLLINGWOOD
OPENING HOURS
Wednesday: 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Thursday - Saturday: 11:00AM - 5:00PM
Suzani Stories is a window into Afghan culture, heritage and community through the time-honoured tradition of hand embroidery. In collaboration with a group of 14 women from the Afghan community of south-east Naarm/Melbourne, not-for-profit social enterprise The Social Studio facilitated the creation of a series of original self-portraits, illustration and poetry inspired by their lives and experiences.
Over the course of six months, the group gathered at The Social Studio’s headquarters in Collingwood each fortnight to develop their artworks. Utilising a range of embroidery methods and motifs, from traditional ‘graf’ stitch to significant flowers, the embroiderers were asked to apply their lifelong embroidery skills to a new medium: self-portraiture. Alongside these personal self-expressions are pieces from the group’s own vast personal archives of embroidered items, many of them created for distant loved ones or, simply, the dream of one.
Embroidery connects across generations and oceans of separation. A daughter thinks of her mother seeking refuge in Iran while she sews; a woman remembers learning to embroider in Afghanistan as a child. Remembering Afghanistan, and the women who remain there, is an ever-present theme throughout this exhibition.
This project was supported by: Creative Australia, Creative Victoria and the Department of Home Affairs.
Free to attend. No bookings required.
EVENT DETAILS
LOCATION
The Social Studio Shop
Collingwood Yards
Upper Ground Courtyard
6/30 Perry Street, Collingwood
Map
ACCESSIBILITY
Collingwood Yards Accessibility Information
Accessible for wheelchair users
Quiet space available on premises
ABOUT THE EVENT ORGANISER
In 2009, a group of Melbourne community members, local designers and fashion industry professionals joined together with a common idea: to embrace up-cycled fashion as a vehicle for social change and uplift youth from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Working side-by-side with the community-at-large, our unique not-for-profit model was born as an initiative to empower ; creating education and employment pathways and in the process involving wider new migrant and refugee communities, too.
From launching our storefront on Smith Street, The Social Studio has continued to grow, with our ethical and sustainable business ecosystem now providing education and employment opportunities across the enterprise. Over the past decade, we’ve provided more than 780 youth from migrant and refugee backgrounds with meaningful, practical experience to support them as they build their futures, provided a number of jobs in our school, studio, store and beyond, won awards and so much more.
EVENT CONTACT
E: retail@thesocialstudio.org
P: (03) 9417 2143