Kholod Hawash
Textile artist, Helsinki/Basra
Kholod Hawash is a self-taught textile artist born in 1977 in Basra, Iraq. Her work is inspired by the cultural heritage of her former homeland – the region’s landscapes, symbols and local narratives. Because her husband Saddam Jumaily and others around her were politically persecuted, she initially fled to Jordan before migrating to Finland after arriving as an Artists at Risk (AR)-Resident.
With her series of carpet works titled ‘Long Nights’, Hawash draws attention to the oppression of and violence against women in the Middle East. Textiles that traditionally have a relationship to domesticity show images of liberation, protest and freedom from oppression. By incorporating the demand for freedom into an ancient craft method traditionally used by women, Hawash’s art demonstrates a clear feminist message.
Hawash has participated in several international exhibitions such as State of the ART(ist) at Ars Electronica 2023 and will be participating in ‘Gesamtkunstwerke’ in the Nordic Pavilion in 2024.