Drawing on the exceptional collections of the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit, Thread Memory: On Palestinian Embroidery explores the historical and contemporary significance of the Palestinian tradition of embroidery—an ancient art practiced primarily by women, reflecting the social and cultural landscape of Palestine’s turbulent history.

Since the Nakba of 1948, embroidery has undergone a profound transformation, evolving beyond familial and communal ties to become a symbol of solidarity and resistance, and a carrier of the stories and histories of the Palestinian people. Thread Memory presents over 30 historic and contemporary dresses (thobes), each bearing a unique story, woven together into a rich narrative of this living art form.

Curated by Rachel Dedman, Thread Memory builds on more than a decade of research and curatorial work on Palestinian embroidery and traditional dress (thobe), a journey that began with her role as curator at the Palestinian Museum. Her past exhibitions exploring the history of Palestinian embroidery include At the Seams at Dar El-Nimer, Beirut (2015); Unravelled at Beirut Art Center (2016); Labour of Love at the Palestinian Museum, Birzeit (2018); and Material Power at Kettle’s Yard and the Whitworth, UK (2023/24). She is also the author of three books on the subject.

Rachel Dedman is a curator and writer based in London. As the Jameel Curator of Contemporary Art from the Middle East at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), she leads the triennial Jameel Prize, including the exhibitions Poetry to Politics (2021) and Moving Images (2024). In 2020, she established the V&A’s Jameel Fellowship, a research residency programme for contemporary artists. In her independent practice, Rachel specialises in fashion and textiles, and in 2024, she was co-curator of State of Fashion Biennial: Ties that Bind, in the Netherlands.

From 2013 to 2019, Rachel worked as an independent curator based in Lebanon, organising projects across the Middle East and Europe. Thread Memory: On Palestinian Embroidery evolves from over a decade of work on Palestinian embroidery and dress (thobe), which began with her curatorial practice at the Palestinian Museum.

Thread Memory: On Palestinian Embroidery is presented in partnership with the Palestinian Museum.