Miriam

From the series ‘Women Woven Together’ In Women Woven Together, Cape Town artist Leah Rachel Hawker used traditional women’s handicrafts to create a series of fine art pieces that depict and celebrate iconic South African women. Each of the ten tapestries was crafted using a collage of historical imagery, meaningful symbols, and patterns that directly reference the lives of the women portrayed. The icons are adorned with radiant elements - halo, aura, crown, or wings - symbolizing their lifetime achievements. The collection explores themes of women’s power, ‘Womandla’, compassion, courage, struggle, and activism, all of which serve as common threads connecting the ten women. Hawker employed 20 women from diverse cultural backgrounds and ages, many of whom had no other source of income at the time. She trained the group in the basics of embroidery and beading. Over a period of three months, the artist and the women worked side-by-side to create and embellish the tapestries. Through this collaborative process, a sense of community, creativity, and empowerment was fostered.