Tribune News Network
Doha
Minister of Culture HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani inaugurated ‘The Labour of Love: Embroidering Palestinian History’, a travelling exhibition organised by the Palestinian Museum in collaboration with Qatar Museums (QM) at Qatar Museums’ Gallery Katara. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, UNESCO Representative for the Gulf States and Yemen and Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha Salah El Din Zaki Khaled and Chair of The Board of Directors at The Palestinian Museum Omar Al-Qattan attended the inaugural event.
Labour of Love explores and celebrates embroidery’s historical importance prior to 1948 and the dynamic transformation Palestinian textiles have undergone in the decades. The exhibition is part of Qatar Creates, the year-round national cultural movement that curates, promotes and celebrates the diversity of cultural activities in Qatar connecting resident and global audiences with Qatar’s creative industries, and the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022, an international cultural exchange designed to deepen understanding between nations and their people.
Building on years of research and fieldwork, Labour of Love reveals insights into the history and contemporary significance of Palestinian embroidery, unfolding a material history of Palestine, telling little-heard stories through the intimate catalyst of clothing. At the heart of the exhibition are over 70 historic dresses and accessories, drawn from every region of Palestine. Placed in conversation with archival photographs, posters, paintings, music and videos, the exhibition traces the shift of tatreez from personal practice, made with love, to a national symbol and onto a product circulating in the global marketplace.
Labour of Love is curated by Baha Jubeh, collections manager at the Palestinian Museum, and draws from collections of QM and the Palestinian Museum. The exhibition was first presented at the Palestinian Museum in 2018.
Baha Jubeh said: “It is necessary to draw attention to neglected aspects of the narrative surrounding embroidery ‘tatreez’. This narrative carries meanings and symbols that go beyond politics, nostalgia, and the aesthetics of heritage, by clarifying its sentimental value and profound legacy.”
Commenting on the occasion, Issa Al Shirawi, Project Manager at QM, said: “Labour of Love: Embroidering Palestinian History exhibition holds special significance for us as we celebrate the Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022, a programme that brings people closer together, encourages dialogue, and deepens understanding between nations.”
