Stitching Stories

Asia from East to West

October 9 - 30, 2025

 

As part of Journey Chicago and Open House Chicago, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art—together with the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education and Japanese Culture Center presents a pop-up exhibition exploring traditional and contemporary textile and fashion practices across Asia. The exhibition will highlight embroidery, fabric folding, and garment making as powerful forms of cultural expression and community storytelling.

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Exhibition Overview:
October 9–30
In conjunction with Chicago Fashion Week, the exhibition will feature:

• A Kimono collection from the Japanese Culture Center
   

• A Qipao collection from the Chinese American Museum of Chicago
   

• Palestinian Thobes from the private collection of Tatreez Jenin
   

• Traditional textile-inspired artworks by Chicago-based artists Hai-Wen Lin, Young Se Kim and Sabba S. Elahi
   

Workshops & Community Programs:

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• October 11, 2:00–4:00 PM - Kimono Costuming Workshop: Dressing with Seasonal Elegance led by Mami Takahashi

• October 18 & 19 11:00 AM–1:00 PM – Community Embroidery Circle led by Sabba S. Elahi

• October 18, 2:00–4:00 PM – Tatreez Workshop led by Tatreez Jenin (RSVP required)

• October 19, 2:00–4:00 PM – Obangsaek Workshop led by Young Se Kim (RSVP required)
   

This program explores how embroidery and textile art serve as vessels of storytelling, healing, and cross-cultural connection. Through threads and fabric, artists and communities share stories of migration, survival, identity, and faith. From East to West Asia, these practices reflect a diverse yet interconnected legacy—where every stitch carries memory, meaning, and voice.