As a part of the programming for Vadehra Art Gallery’s ongoing exhibition Women on the edge of time- curated by Linsey Young, Rafooghar was invited to conduct a mending circle that explored ideas of rupture, repair, and resilience through the material of fabric.

Nahid, Saniya, Anjali, and Jyoti from Rafooghar reached the D 53 with Mann ki Marammat workshop kits along with the quilts, pillows, dolls, zines and photographs to create a mini showcase of the stories of Rafooghar women. It was surreal to see the works of our women alongside the works of Anju Dodiya, Arpita Singh, Ashfika Rahman, Gurminder Sikand, Jai Chuhan, Jasleen Kaur, Leela Mukherjee, Mumtaz Karimjee, Sheba Chhachhi.

*Rozmarha ke kaam- a zine scroll created by the women of Rafooghar*

Our workshop was in Room 5 which showcased Sheba Chhachhi’s From the Barricades -a selection of the artist’s protest photographs, taken in Delhi between 1980 and 2000, documenting the grassroots work of feminist activists in the city.

A room full of protest photos was also full of women sitting, stitching and sharing. Stitching is a protest in itself. Stitching slowly in this fast paced world is protesting. Stitching together in an extremely divided world is protesting. And stitching with the purpose of mending both literally and metaphorically is not only a form of protest, but also a way of reimagining -a breathing of new life into what has been torn, neglected, or forgotten.

In Marge Piercy’s feminist science fiction novel- Woman on the Edge of Time, the questions of mental health, gender, and power are deeply intertwined. Through the experiences of Connie Ramos, a woman institutionalised and dismissed by the medical system, Piercy exposes how structures of patriarchy, class, and racism shape ideas of sanity and madness. At the same time, the novel imagines a feminist utopia- a possibility of living, caring and being together.

In many ways, stitching speaks to these same concerns. Long associated with women's labour and often considered a trivial domestic pursuit, stitching is a practice of care. This slow, repetitive and rhythmic act regulates the nervous system, and creates space for reflection, non-verbal expression and healing. When done collectively, it creates a safe setting for bonding over shared struggles. Repairing fabric becomes a metaphor for tending to ourselves and one another. At Rafooghar, we call this emotional and relational repair.

With this intention, we began the session with some ice breakers, moving with each other as Anjali sang the ‘Bajra song’. We warmed up with some art exercises with our rage, anger, frustrations, calm, chaos- all sorts of contradictory emotions emerging on paper.

We shared stories about our bodies- the pain they carry while also making room for small acts of joy that momentarily soften the weight of that pain. We spoke about the relentless pressures of the world and how resisting them, or simply trying to keep up, can leave us with a sense of heaviness. We then turned to thread and fabric- slowly surrendering our emotions, thoughts, memories, and feelings onto it. Sharing them on fabric and with each other became a way of witnessing and acknowledging our vulnerabilities.

The works that emerged from these vulnerabilities carried with them heaps and hoops of hope- new possibilities, new futures-a candy flossed world of cosmic connections, a cipher for a feminist utopia, where women with butterfly pigtails have blue birds and pink moons for company.

And this reimagining was beautifully captured by Saniya through live drawing.

*The fearless facilitators and futures of Rafooghar posing in front ot Sheba Chhachhi’s* *Strange Manufactory*

Our sincerest gratitude to Sreyansi Singh for inviting us to the Vadehra Art Gallery, Linsey Young for sitting and stitching with us and listening to the stories behind our women’s work with so much care and patience.

To the entire team of Vadhera art gallery for helping us set up; for feeding us, pampering us and also spending an entire day stitching with us.

Women On The Edge Of Time

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