Community Kilim Mosaic: Weaving Together 2026
Collaborators: Gibson House Museum
Format: Group Workshop
Location: Gibson House Museum
Topics: Kilim weaving
Persian Kilims use symbolic motifs as a language of storytelling: for example, “Hands-on-Hips” represents fertility and “Running Water” signifies vitality. Aligned with the 2026 theme “Gather in Toronto,” this project framed the final textile as a physical expression of community. Weaving, historically a communal practice, brings participants together to learn a shared skill and interpret meaningful symbols through their own choices of color and technique.
Participants learnt to weave traditional Persian Kilim motifs into individual squares. These pieces were collected and stitched into a large mosaic tapestry that reflected diverse community narratives.
While each square holds individual meaning, their combination-uniting symbols like the “Eye,” “Tree,” and “Bird”-creates a collective, resilient fabric. The workshop promoted equity and access through a non-verbal, tactile art form, supported dialogue across cultures, and resulted in a lasting textile archive representing the community gathered in 2026.