Embroidering Palestine: Walk-in tours

During this introductory tour, a MoMu guide will immerse you in the story of Embroidering Palestine.

This exhibition explores Palestinian embroidery – Tatreez in Arabic – and traditional dress through four themes: nature, splendour, power and change. Tatreez originated in a rural context and reflected the close bond between women and their environment – from embroidery motifs inspired by local flora to fabrics coloured with indigo from Galilee. At the same time, embroidery was also a symbol of status and wealth: festive clothing was worn especially around marriage – an important rite of passage.

Today, embroidery’s power lies in its connection to Palestinian identity, as a symbol of resistance and solidarity. Since the Nakba, or catastrophe, of 1948, which refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, and the establishment of the state of Israel, tatreez has become a form of cultural resistance, an assertion of identity. The exhibition traces the politicisation of the craft, and the continued inspiration it provides to Palestinian fashion designers in the present.