Embroidering Absence: War Memories of Salvadoran Women Refugees

This talk and public exhibition explore how Salvadoran women, forced into exile during the civil war (1980-1992), harnessed the power of embroidery to confront and heal from absence. Disseminated globally to foster international solidarity, the embroidered pieces encapsulate testimonies of denied massacres, memories of ravaged homes, and ethnographic accounts of exile. Teresa Cruz, cultural promoter from the Museum of Word and Image in El Salvador (MUPI), who embroidered her own story during exile at the age of thirteen, will discuss the transformative power of these embroideries on February 14. The event concludes with the exhibit’s grand opening on February 16 at CDRS, co-curated by U of T Professor María Méndez and MUPI. Supported by the JHI’s Program for the Arts, CDRS, Department of Political Science, Latin American Studies program, Western University, The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador project, and MUPI, the exhibition aims to foster a deeper appreciation of women’s memory work.

Related event

Exhibition: February 16, 6-9pm (in person, food and drinks will be provided)
CDRS (Collaborative Digital Research Space), Room 3230
Maanjiwe nendamowinana Building
University of Toronto Mississauga
3359 Mississauga Road
Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6

Registration is requested. Supported by the JHI's Program for the Arts.