For the last six months, we have met every Sunday, in a small room in one of the most marginalized neighbourhoods for ‘sukoon’ and ‘fursat’. Through the mediums of embroidery and textiles, we have shared stories; learnt about each others’ lives; laughed and cried over numerous cups of chai and our beloved snack, samosa; found common ground in our daily challenges despite our differences; exchanged gharelu nuske (homemade remedies) and have relied on each other for ‘salah-mashwara ‘ (advice and wisdom).
With the guidance of exceptionally skilled artists and art educators, we haven't just embroidered our stories onto fabric; we've also utilized it as a means to spark conversations and dialogues on challenging themes and issues.
Sometimes, Rafooghar serves as a space for ‘bhadaas nikalna’, where women can release their pent-up emotions or frustrations. At other times, it transforms into a place for ‘jee halka karna,’ providing a lighter environment to escape from the harsh realities of daily life. We have heard words like ‘maika’ (mother’s home) being used to describe Rafooghar, but the most heartfelt acknowledgement of this shared space came from a young participant who shared the following when asked about why her self-portrait is so colourful, “I can be whoever I like to be here”.
Join us for Daastaan-e-rafoo- our very first community exhibition featuring not just the artworks created by the women of Rafooghar رفو گھر- The House that Mends but also their stories, feelings, thoughts and emotions.
Please RSVP at compassioncontagion@gmail.com to receive the exact location for the exhibition.
If you wish to support our work , here’s a list of some things we need at Rafooghar. We would also appreciate a gift card if that is simpler for you. Thank you for supporting Rafooghar!
https://www.amazon.in/hz/wishlist/ls/3VTZL9DPHSPXD?ref_=wl_share
Exhibition details
10th February 2024
12:30: Community exhibition opening and exhibition walkthrough with Rafooghar women
1:00 to 2:00: Love Lihaaf - collective stitching with Rafooghar women -All are welcome to join.
2:00 to 3:00: आज़ाद लब آزاد لیب Women of Rafooghar in conversation with visual artist-Mohd. Intiyaz.
3:00 to 5:00 Workshop- Stitching Radical Hope with Rubina Singh (Paid workshop, details below)
6:30 Closing
11th February 2024
12:30 Exhibition walkthrough with Rafooghar women
1:00 to 2:00: Love Lihaaf - collective stitching with Rafooghar women -All are welcome to join.
3:00 to 5:00 Workshop- Expressive Portraits with Shivangi Singh, ArtReach India (Paid workshop, details below)
6:30 Closing
Enjoy local food at nominal rates throughout the day.
Poster Artwork by Mohd. Ansari
Join us for आज़ाद लब آزاد لیب - an afternoon of free-flowing conversations between the women of Rafooghar and visual artist-Mohd. Intiyaz. ( @mohd_intiyaz__ ) as they come together to bond over stories, discuss creative processes, and explore the powerful ways in which art allows us to express and share our unique narratives.
Born on June 6, 1995, in Jharkhand, India, Mohd. Intiyaz has been shaped by a range of social situations and familial encounters that left a lasting impact on his memories and artistic sensibility. The central theme of his artistic endeavors revolves around his personal history, particularly his childhood memories marked by migration experiences, as well as his observations of marginalized social realities in his daily surroundings. His current and ongoing work urges viewers to question the status quo and stand in solidarity with those who have been denied their rights for far too long.
Women of Rafooghar come from diverse backgrounds. They are homemakers, daily wage laborers, domestic workers, students; some run small businesses to support their families. They have been meeting every sunday to stitch their personal stories and lived experiences on fabric.
10th February 2024, 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm
In collaboration with Method. @methodindia
RSVP at compassioncontagion@gmail.com for exact location.
Workshop details
Sign up for Stitching Radical Hope- a workshop by Rubina Singh, Embroidery artist and activist
Poster Artwork by Nandini
Saturday, 10th February | Duration: 2 hrs- 3 pm to 5 pm | Fee: INR 2,500/-
Cost includes materials as well as light refreshments.
The earnings from the workshop will contribute to supporting our work at Rafooghar.
Payment link for Google Pay:
Once you make the payment, please mail a screenshot of the payment along with your contact details to compassioncontagion@gmail.com with the subject: Stitching Radical Hope
About the Workshop
In challenging times like these, finding and sustaining hope is a radical act. Join us for a journey of inward-outward-inward reflection, in an attempt to find hope through the meditative and connective power of stitching. Stitching Radical Hope will begin with a self and systemic reflection exercise using a meditative stitching and mark making. This will be followed by diving deep into our own powers and journeys in the larger social change ecosystem through stitching individually and in community with other participants.
This stitching may take the form of simple marks, shapes, words, visuals, or fabric play based on what comes alive for you in the session. You do not need to have any prior experience with stitching but we encourage you to join with an intention of holding space for each other through deep listening and active sharing. We hope that you will leave the workshop with glimmers of radical hope within ourselves and each other.
About the Facilitator:
Rubina Singh is an embroidery artist whose practice is defined by 'textual textiles'. Her work is a reflection of socio-political happenings, while reclaiming the subversive feminist history of the craft of embroidery. She is also the founder of Rafunaama, a curated archive of woven histories and presents from the Indian subcontinent and one of the core members of Rafooghar.
Sign up for Expressive Portraits- a workshop by Shivangi Singh, Artreach India
Poster Artwork by Bimlesh, Photo by Hansika Sharma
Sunday, 11th February | Duration: 2 hrs | 3 pm to 5 pm Fee: INR 2,500/-
Cost includes materials as well as light refreshments.
The earnings from the workshop will contribute to supporting our work at Rafooghar.
Payment link for Google Pay:
Once you make the payment, please mail a screenshot of the payment along with your contact details to compassioncontagion@gmail.com with the subject: Expressive Portraits
About the Workshop
The workshop will delve into exploring different ways of knowing and expressing ourselves through our self portraits. Participants will be encouraged to engage in reflective exercises that prompt them to delve into their personal narratives, emotions, and experiences. Participants in the workshop will experiment with symbolic representations, choosing objects or symbols that hold personal significance and becoming those objects. Learning to stitch these self-portraits onto fabric and experimenting with basic stitching techniques, embroidery tools, and the fundamentals of working with fabric.
About the Facilitator:
Shivangi Singh from Artreach India is an artist and educator based in New Delhi. With a background in fine arts, she has worked in the space of art education, illustration, programming, publishing and exhibition design. She is also the co-founder of BlueJackal, an independent publishing platform for graphic narratives.
ArtReach India
Artreach is one of India’s foremost arts education non-profits established in Delhi in 2015. We empower participants through creativity and offer enriching learning experiences in the visual arts.
Join the women of Rafooghar as they piece together individual narratives to make a community quilt- the quilt of love. All are welcome.
RSVP at compassioncontagion@gmail.com for exact location.
Please Note:
There is no parking near the exhibition place. You can either take the metro or Ola/ Uber to get there.
Shaheen Bagh (Jasola Vihar) is the closest metro - Magenta Line
Second closest is Okhla Vihar.. Magenta Line.