What does Jyväskylä look like as an embroidered map, or interpreted through local stories?
Stitch & Subvert – Jyväskylä is a participatory textile project by Palestinian-born artist Hala Alnaji, who invited Jyväskylä residents to embroider their lived experiences, memories and hopes into a fabric map of the city. Using threads of different colours, the participants constructed an alternative cartography together, that highlights experiential geographies, spatial justice, concerns and layers of stories. As the participants embroider their daily routes, significant landmarks and personal memories onto the map, the city takes on a new visual presentation, while creating space for personal experiences and memories.
Hala Alnaji’s exhibition considers mapping as an artistic method for interpreting the city outside its official presentation. The artworks are based on the map created as a result of embroidery workshops organized in Jyväskylä, and were inspired by conversations with residents, personal stories and participatory events where memories were recorded on a fabric map.
The Stitch & Subvert – Jyväskylä exhibition is part of Äkkigalleria’s Art without Transportation project, which presents artworks by international artists in Jyväskylä without transporting the artists, works or materials around the world.
Hala Alnaji
Stitch & Subvert – Jyväskylä
Gallery Gloria
Civic Activity Center Matara
Matarankatu 6 a 1, Jyväskylä
Open 4.5.-29.5.
Monday-Thursday 8am-6pm, Friday 8am-5pm
Free Entrance
www.akkigalleria.com
