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Prison Crafts: From Cell to Couture Collaboration
6 Dec
Summary
- Crafts made in prison become art for a new Liberty and IWM collaboration.
- Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's experience inspires three new fabric prints.
- The project highlights creativity as a powerful form of resistance.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's experience of arbitrary detention in Iran has been transformed into a powerful artistic collaboration. She has partnered with London's Imperial War Museum (IWM) and the fabric design house Liberty to create three new fabric prints. These designs, titled "Creativity in Conflict and Confinement," draw directly from her time spent incarcerated, symbolizing creativity as a vital form of resistance and survival.
The project delves into the role of craft during periods of conflict and confinement, featuring designs developed by Liberty's in-house studio in conjunction with Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who serves as the project's ambassador. During her imprisonment, she utilized a sewing machine to create clothing for her daughter, demonstrating how imagination and resourcefulness can transcend physical limitations. This initiative also incorporates historical artifacts from the IWM's collection, illustrating how craft has historically aided individuals in maintaining dignity and purpose.
The newly created fabrics, including "Passage of Time," "Obscured Landscape," and "Stitch and Community," are now displayed as large banners at the IWM until February 2026 and are available in a retail range. A significant portion of the fabric produced will be donated to the charity Fine Cell Work, supporting rehabilitation and reintegration opportunities for individuals in prison through paid craftwork.
