Angel Delight: Talking Threads

Angel Delight: Talking Threads (18+) is a continuation of the Angel Delight project started in 2021 in the form of a residency in Worm Rotterdam where Forzani transformed the space into a colorful queer utopia showcasing her latest fashion collection in collaboration with her Kiki House and Rotterdam’s Ballroom scene. Angel Delight: Talking Threads will showcase Forzani’s newest fashion collection modeled by The Kiki House of Angels in this immersive art installation. Come and marvel at Forzani’s pop up installation of tapestries in Wereldmuseum’s grand ballroom and embroider her unique applique designs onto your own outfit.

Wereldmuseum Rotterdam shows the enormous diversity of embroidery, largely from its own collection, made by people from all over the world. This exhibition  explores the significance of embroidery as decoration,  cultural expression, document of a story, expression of group identity and individual identity. The Angel Delight program also features embroidery workshops, a panel discussion, a fashion show and a party with vogue performers! Celebrate the summer and dance to DJs Shahmaran & Seven Angels.

What is remarkable about embroidery is that the technique has hardly changed over the centuries. Basic stitches such as the cross stitch, running stitch, and back stitch are still used today, and from these basic stitches, various other stitches have been developed. Desirée Hammen studied fashion design at ArtEZ and later attended the famous Ecole Lesage embroidery school in Paris. In her work, she combines haute couture embroidery techniques with her own DIY skills, exploring the beauty of imperfection.

August 18 | Time: 19:00-20:30 | Location: Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, on the 4th  floor in the Atelier | Costs: The program is free, you only pay entrance for a regular museum visit. | The workshop has a capacity of up to 35 participants. Send an email to educatie@wereldmuseum.nl to register for this workshop. Mention which workshop you want to attend, your name and those of the persons you may come with.

Suelae’s workshop follows this example of people taking control of their freedom. Participants will embroider letters from the word ‘resistance’ using symbols from a maroon creole language. While sewing together, Suelae will foster a dialogue about how knowledge is passed down in communities, how we stay connected to nature and community care.

August 18 | Time: 19:00-20:30 | Location: Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, on the 1st  floor in the exhibition Talking Threads | Costs: The program is free, you only pay entrance for a regular museum visit. | The workshop has a capacity of up to 10 participants. Send an email to educatie@wereldmuseum.nl to register for this workshop. Mention which workshop you want to attend, your name and those of the persons you may come with.

From American suffragette embroidery to Chilean arpilleras, embroidery is a powerful way for many communities to share political messages. Needlework has a meditative nature but can also be used in an activist way. In this panel discussion, artists Ada M. Patterson, Desirée Hammen, Yamuna Forzani and Suelae Robinson come together to share the stories behind their work.

August 18 | Time: 21:00-22:00 | Location: Ballroom Wereldmuseum Rotterdam | Costs: The program is free, you only pay entrance for a regular museum visit.

Yamuna Forzani celebrates contemporary queer culture with her multidisciplinary practice. Her main medium is intricate jacquard knits that she combines and transforms with an eclectic mix of fashion, photography, performance, installation and design, she explores identity, the body and femininity, intertwined with a playful bold psychedelic sensual visual language.

Dressed in her designs, the vogue dancers of Rotterdam's Kiki House of Angels give a vogue performance (22:00-22:20). After the performance come party with DJ Shahmaran and DJ Seven Angels (22:20-01:00).

August 18 | Location: Ballroom Wereldmuseum Rotterdam | Costs: The program is free, you only pay entrance for a regular museum visit.

During this Angel Delight event, you can also visit the exhibitions ‘Talking Threads’, ‘HA!R POWER’ and ‘Kruispunt Rotterdam’ from 19:00 to 23:00.

There are several art works that reflect on topics such as queerness, gendered norms and sexuality, as highlighted in this post on our Instagram account:

Interested in colonialism and/or resistance? Then you will love the highlights detailed in this Instagram post: