Hands On: Kettle's Yard

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Kettle’s Yard’s Material Power project brings together the arts, heritage, and community engagement through a four-month residency focused on Palestinian embroidery (Tatreez) in Cambridge. Partnering with Corona House, a local refuge supporting women at risk of homelessness, Kettle’s Yard offers a creative space for participants to explore their own identities while engaging with a major exhibition on Palestinian embroidery.

Led by British-Lebanese artist Aya Haidar, the project invites participants to respond artistically to the exhibition and the Kettle’s Yard collection. The residency will culminate in an exhibition of the participants’ work, displayed alongside Kettle’s Yard’s internationally respected collection. This project not only provides therapeutic and creative opportunities for the women involved but also enriches the interpretation of Islamic and Middle Eastern art for wider audiences.

By foregrounding community voices and engaging with the rich visual traditions of the Islamic world, Material Powerexemplifies how collections can be activated to foster wellbeing, creativity, and cultural understanding.

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