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Me & There

2026

Hand woven, natural dyed (tumeric, sumac, avocado skin & onion skin cotton yarn, painted cotton yarn.

‘Me and There’ is a visualisation of intertwinning first generation diasporic feelings with ancestral textile craft. The slow practice of Tatreez has allowed women of Palestine to tell the narratives of their lives through meticulous cross stitched motifs. Traditionally, Tatreez is adorned on women’s Thobes (أثواب Robes/Dresses) and vary from simple designs historically worn daily, to more elaborate designs worn on special occasions. This intergenerational knowledge system flourished across Palestine, and continues to serve as a form of expression and diasporic relief. Anisha Sawaid uses Tatreez and weaving as a form of connection and learning to her cultural background. The woven cloth has been naturally dyed with tumeric, berries, onion skin and sumac, which are all natural materials used to dye fibres across Palestine and the Middle East. She uses the fluorescent yarn to represent herself and her hand in the Tatreez process, while also selecting both the Sabla ( سبله Braid ) and Al Jibal ( الجبال The Mountains) motifs from the northern region where her family resides. Symbolising strength and a deeply rooted connection to the land. Although small, this work speaks loudly to the importance of craft in bridging diasporic connections with distant homelands.