Cotton Embroidery on Organza Garment

“Like many abayas, this one is black. Unlike many others, this one is translucent. The garment is physically present but functionally absent, it hides nothing underneath it. Serageldin Kamel uses the transparency of organza as a metaphor for her ambiguous relationship to the traditional abaya. The stitches on the sleeve, which make these areas opaque, represent the artist's memories, while the fabric gestures towards forgetfulness. There is something almost bittersweet about this garment. Unexpectedly, remembrance happens through it.”

This garment was created as part of a collective art-research project titled “Being Borrowed: On Egyptian Migration to the Gulf”, organized by Farah Hallaba’s Anthropology Bel3araby and curated by Farida Youssef.

“Being Borrowed: On Egyptian Migration to the Gulf” was held in October 2022 and was covered by many prominent press and news outlets including Vice Arabia, The National News, and BBC TV and Radio.