Thread Bearing Witness – Exhibition and Events

at Somerset Rural Life Museum

with Susan Kamara, Anna and RLCC, Behbud, Indus Resource Centre Karachi

At the museum three monumental textile works – GROUND, SEA and SKY – will form an immersive installation in the historic Abbey Barn. Also featured is the huge embroidery STITCH A TREE KARACHI, which includes 2,000 stitched trees and has been made by women’s groups in Pakistan. New works will be on display by Susan Kamara, a refugee from Uganda who has been working on COVID wards during the pandemic and stitching in her free time.

Alice was inspired to undertake the project by her daughter Tamsin Koumis, and those working in refugee centres in Calais and Greece, and primarily by the refugees themselves.

Alice says ‘All the works on display use stitched textiles as a powerful metaphor for our shared humanity. They are a celebration of human dignity and endurance.’

The exhibition opens on Saturday 11 September at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury. An associated programme of family-friendly events will be taking place. It includes a family launch event on 18 September as part of Somerset Open Studios, organised by Somerset Art Works. On 30 September a live-streamed talk by Alice Kettle will provide a chance to discover more about her work on the Thread Bearing Witness project.

Susan Kamara

Anna

RLCC Karachi