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In this work, the realms of womanhood, motherhood, and domesticity unfold through textiles as the primary medium, a material laden with gendered associations tied to craft and societal constructs of femininity. The selected pieces for this exhibition include both retrospective works and newly produced pieces, collectively challenging societal expectations of women. Among them, new works from Haidar’s I Felt It series, 2024, are on display. This body of work transforms the domestic setting into a political canvas, a space traditionally associated with women's responsibilities—repetition, care work, cleaning, unpaid labour, and familial duties. Haidar's intent is to elevate the unsung heroes of the mundane, portraying the invisible labourers of the domestic sphere as her champions. These mixed-media works showcase found objects liberated from their conventional roles—old scourers, cleaning cloths, and the nets that once carried fruit and vegetables—reimagined as harmonious landscapes, constituting a visual celebration. The series title, I Felt It, holds a dual significance, referencing both the felting process employed in these works and acknowledging the emotions experienced by the invisible labourer, posing the question: how do they really feel?
Other works emerge from Haidar's personal interactions. Through the medium of embroidery, she portrays scenes that convey the survivor stories recounted by women in refugee camps during her extensive engagement with displaced communities spanning over two decades. These pieces unfold narratives of loss, grief, resilience, and abuse, portraying these women as inadvertent protagonists thrust into the frontline of their own battles.
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Battlegrounds, Aya Haidar
Past viewing_room