Batool Showghi

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Displaced reflects on the devastating human consequences of war and forced displacement. Created in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the work honours the innocent families who have lost their homes, loved ones, and sense of security. Through the delicate language of textiles, stitching, and printed imagery, Batool Showghi transforms fabric into a powerful record of memory, loss, and resilience.

For Batool, stitching is more than a technique—it is an act of repair. Every thread symbolises lives interrupted by violence and the fragile hope of rebuilding what has been torn apart. The layered composition evokes both physical displacement and the emotional wounds carried by those forced to leave everything behind.

Rather than focusing on political narratives, Displaced centres on the universal human experience of loss. It reminds us that behind every conflict are individuals and families whose dignity, memories, and future deserve protection.

Batool Showghi is an Iranian-born multidisciplinary artist based in the United Kingdom whose practice spans textiles, photography, painting, illustration, and artists' books. After leaving Iran in the 1980s, she developed a distinctive visual language that explores cultural heritage, memory, identity, displacement, and the experience of women across cultural and religious boundaries.

Using photographs, documents, calligraphy, stitching, and fabric, Batool creates richly layered works that preserve personal and collective memories while giving voice to those affected by war, migration, and loss. Her work is held in major public collections including the Tate Britain and the British Library, reflecting the significance of her contribution to contemporary textile and mixed-media art.

Batool's work invites us to look beyond headlines and statistics, recognising the humanity of displaced people and our shared responsibility to uphold their dignity, rights, and hope for a peaceful future.