The Weaving Cultural Identities initiative encourages dialogue around acknowledging and celebrating local Indigenous and migrant histories, while bringing together diverse communities. The early stages of this project paired ten textile artists of different disciplines and backgrounds with graphic designers of various cultural descents. Together, these groups collaborated based on their own experiences and histories to create a series of works that celebrate the rich significance of textile arts (both in a sacred and historic sense) through the inspirational art and conceptualization of prayer rugs and weaving/textile traditions.  Collectively these artists have developed a platform and process for community dialogue through arts-based, approachable discussions around uncomfortable issues of belonging, forcible displacement, diaspora, assimilation, and honouring land presently shared by several groups.

This project was further inspired by a successful initiative in Edmonton, Alberta, to develop a Canadian Prayer Rug. This initiative was developed in 2016 by a nonprofit Muslim youth group called Green Room as a means of highlighting the city’s rich landscape and unique history of their Muslim community. With extensive research and community input from Muslim and Indigenous groups who had inhabited the land for several generations, the project was infused with even greater profundity.

Similarly, the Vancouver project engaged groups from diverse cultural backgrounds to work with Muslim artists and First Nations groups to reconcile lost heritage, share, learn and celebrate cultural knowledge, symbolism and self-identification through textile traditions. As these artists expanded on the concept of Canadian Prayer Rugs, the project became an exploration of the multiple narratives of Vancouver, developed through the storytelling of diverse multicultural perspectives. As the Weaving Cultural Identities exhibition tours Canada during the next two years, the dialogue will continue in diverse settings and venues.

https://www.vancouverbiennale.com/event/weaving-cultural-identities-touring-exhibition/