Women Life Freedom is a participatory art project realised in London in 2025 by artist Tisna Westerhof and art producer Cristiana Bottigella, in collaboration with the Iranian & Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO). The project is supported by Arts Council England.
Over three months, Tisna and Cristiana facilitated a series of weekly creative workshops with more than 30 women survivors of domestic abuse and as well as staff members at IKWRO, a charity active since 2002 in supporting women from the Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan who have survived domestic violence.
The workshops were hosted in community houses and at IKWRO’s London offices. During the artist-led sessions, participants learned embroidery and appliqué techniques, creating personal textile pieces that express messages of empowerment, hope, and resilience. Each piece functions as a self-portrait, incorporating symbolic elements and personal narratives—like the embrace of a grandmother wearing her favourite bracelet. Textile art was chosen for its universality and emotional resonance; many participants associated embroidery and sewing with childhood memories and their countries of origin.
The titles and final designs of the three collaborative panels were chosen collectively. Every detail—from cutting and arranging the fabric to pinning and layout—was decided and executed by the women themselves under the creative direction of Tisna Westerhof.
Many participants have faced significant hardship. Their strength and creativity throughout this process have been profoundly inspiring. One of the panels, “Hi Girls, I’m New,” will be installed at the entrance of an IKWRO refuge. The group envisioned it as a symbol of welcome for newcomers. As one participant shared: “When I first came here, I felt lonely, vulnerable, scared… With this patchwork, I want women arriving after me to feel welcome and reassured from the very first moment. These girls are us.”
“To Live Is To Rise,” destined for the refuge common room, depicts the Tree of Life—a universal symbol of growth, strength, and connection to nature.
“We, The Women” presents a series of textile portraits envisioned by the artist as a modern take on the French salon-style “portrait gems.” Though small in scale, these pieces are rich in meaning. At first glance, their vibrant colours, ribbons, and playful forms invite the viewer in—only upon closer inspection do the deeper, more powerful messages of care, resistance, and justice emerge.
Quilting, with its long history as a communal and political form of expression, was central to the project. It’s a tradition through which women have gathered, shared stories, and voiced their experiences. Many contemporary artists have used quilting to amplify social messages, and this project continues that legacy.
Tisna, whose practice often reimagines traditional crafts through a political lens, collaborated with her mother, Reine Westerhof—a professional quilt-maker in the Netherlands—to complete the panels. Together, they stitched each artwork by hand and machine, transforming individual contributions into three cohesive textile pieces.
Following their official launch at IKWRO’s annual festival in October 2025, the artworks will be exhibited in Este, Italy, in November as part of M’Ama Non M’Ama, an exhibition organised by Associazione Culturale La Medusa to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November). The panels will then be exhibited at the London Museum in January 2026 and then permanently installed at IKWRO’s refuges and offices in London.
Rooted in collective creativity and shared experience, Women Life Freedom empowers women to reclaim their voices through textile art—transforming personal stories into enduring symbols of resilience, hope, and solidarity.
About the Creators:
Tisna Westerhof is a Dutch artist based in London whose practice bridges visual art, social engagement, and activism. Her work explores themes of feminism, memory, and social justice across mediums including ceramics, textiles, painting, installation, and printmaking. She is known for her Delft Blue political pieces and large-scale embroidered portraits of young people.
Cristiana Bottigella is a producer of contemporary art projects with a strong social and cultural impact. She founded the gallery hARTslane in London in 2012 and co-founded the first women-run cooking school in Nablus, Palestine, in 2011.
Tisna and Cristiana create art projects that bring communities together to express themselves, connect with others and develop new creative skills.
