A Minute of Shelter is an artwork about violence against women

Narges Mohammadi' s new artwork A Minute of Shelter on Coolsingel draws attention to all women and girls who have (had) to deal with violence. The artwork consists of a wall depicting the only safe place in the house for many: the bathroom, with a door that can be locked.

The artwork (unveiled on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, Orange the World Day) has two sides in which a toilet and sink give way on one side and bulge out on the other. On the ground is a bag referring to safety and escape. ''Your whole life, everything that is important to you, should fit in that bag, so that you can flee at any time,'' says Narges Mohammadi. With the ordinariness of the objects and material, Mohammadi refers to the ordinariness of violence against women and girls.

The statue stands on Coolsingel. Such a prominent spot was chosen for good reason: almost nowhere in the world is there a permanent memorial to violence against women. The work contributes to making a major social problem - Rotterdam even leads the way in the number of reports - visible in the public space. ''I hope the artwork will become a conversation opener,'' says Narges Mohammadi. ''So that signals are recognised earlier and women who experience violence can talk about it earlier.''

The artwork came about after a motion was passed by the Rotterdam City Council in 2019 to create a memorial to 16-year-old Hümeyra. She was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend after he stalked her for a period. Together with Hümeyra's family, the decision was made to create a memorial in the city, for all women who have (been) affected by violence or femicide.

Narges Mohammadi

The career of Narges Mohammadi (b 1993, somewhere between Kabul and Tehran) gained momentum from 2020, when she made a big impression with her graduation work at the KABK in The Hague. Her installations and sculptures are rooted in her personal history, marked by experiences from two very different cultures. She draws on the endlessly rich in-between space in which she moves. Her sculptures consist of unexpected but recognisable materials: halva, concrete, gum, clay and soap. Her work is regularly shown at exhibitions such as now at Brutus.