Art She Crafted shows how women shaped art and culture

Guest curator Rajae El Mouhandiz has collected dozens of stories for Art She Crafted that reveal how, despite structural exclusion and class differences, women play an indispensable role as makers, commissioners, collectors, innovators and pathfinders in art and culture. From 16 January to 27 September, international art, fashion, photography and design will be exhibited at the Wereldmuseum and the stories will come to life.

Bringing together eras, continents and disciplines in one narrative, the exhibition demonstrates in a multidisciplinary and intergenerational presentation that art history is not a neutral succession of styles, but was primarily shaped by who had access to resources, space and recognition. Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut (1505 - 1458 BC), for instance, used her power to encourage large-scale building projects and religious art. And Empress Wu Zetian (624 - 705) in the Tang dynasty fanned a cultural renaissance by supporting workshops, calligraphers and artisans. Their stories tell how women with political and spiritual power structurally influenced art and knowledge production - often as the foundation of collections and cultural forms that later became museum-like.

The stories in Art She Crafted show that female creativity has always been a constant force. Artists who use art as a force for change are highlighted. Shirin Neshat (1957 - ) shows in her photographs and videos how power and religion are used to regulate women's bodies . The graphic work of Laila Shawa (1940 - 2022) reveals the reality of conflict and ideology in Palestine. Their powerful imagery emphasises that art in the 20th and 21st centuries not only critiques but also depicts alternative futures and strengthens communities.

Global modernity is portrayed with, among others, Baya Mahieddine (1931- 1998), who broke through in Paris at the age of 16 with a completely unique visual style that inspired artists such as Picasso and Matisse. And with Hanae Mori (1926- 2022), the first Asian designer to be admitted to the chambre syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris in 1977. Mori thus opened up the international fashion world. In her designs, she interwove Japanese textile traditions with Western couture techniques, leading to a sophisticated cultural cross-pollination in which both traditions came together equally.

Contemporary renaissance

For guest curator Rajae El Mouhandiz, Art She Crafted arose from the realisation that we are in the midst of a contemporary renaissance: a new flowering period in which a young generation of women creators is bringing together tradition and innovation, and in which radical, forward-looking voices are resounding worldwide. "Art She Crafted" shows that women were not just subjects in art - they were its architects. This exhibition brings together their stories and celebrates a global legacy that is much older, larger and richer than we often think."

Rajae El Mouhandiz is an interdisciplinary artist, maker and curator operating at the intersection of art, heritage and social change. As founder of Ellae Foundation, she develops projects and productions that focus on new narratives and markets, creating space for underexposed voices within the art and cultural canon. With a background in classical music, jazz, soul and contemporary narrative forms, El Mouhandiz moves effortlessly between disciplines and continents. Art She Crafted is the result of over eight years of research, fieldwork and international collaboration. As guest curator, El Mouhandiz brings together historical depth and current urgency, with a keen eye on representation, class differences, power and creative agency .

Cover photo: CAFTAN WITH BELT by Mrs Azzabi. Photo: Alex Santos Lima