Mounira Al Solh's Baltic exhibition explores migrant women's stories through embroidery and portraiture

At the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Mounira Al Solh presents her exhibition titled 'A day is as long as a year,' showcasing a circular red tent embroidered by 31 women from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, the Netherlands, and South Africa. This centerpiece is inspired by a 19th-century Qajar-era tent housed in the Cleveland Museum. Hanging from the tentpole are printed narratives in both Arabic and English that recount migrant experiences, alongside audio recordings sharing personal tales of displacement, patriarchal structures, and conflict. Al Solh's ongoing portrait series, 'I strongly believe in our right to be frivolous' (2012–), features women affected by Middle Eastern conflicts, painted on yellow legal pad paper to highlight bureaucratic issues. The exhibition also includes double-sided patchwork curtains from the 'Sama'/Ma'as' series (2014–), which explore linguistic nuances through Arabic word pairs. It runs until 2 October in Gateshead.