The Exhibition Space, 2nd Floor, The Library at Willesden Green
Weaving our history in a quilt presents quilted artwork created by the families and children at Clube dos Brasileirinhos, a not-for-profit supplementary school, led by migrant Brazilian women that live or work in the borough of Brent.
During this immersive learning experience, visitors will engage with quilted artwork that is structured in a timeline of three parts, each referencing significant periods of recent Brazilian history; Indigenous, Portuguese & African legacy, and European immigration. Information and designs are represented as embroidered visual motifs and symbols of each period. The educational narrative rexplores diverse ethnicities, foods, music, costumes, spirituality, and dance, and exploring the tradition of "bordadeiras''. This project sews the history of Brazil and the tradition of embroidery into art.
Brent has the biggest population of Brazilians living in the UK, and over the past 13 years Clube dos Brasileirinhos has taught Brazilian Portuguese as a Heritage Language and Brazilian Culture to over 600 children. They aim to bring the Brazilian community together and to offer opportunities and networking with the wider community in the borough of Brent. They teach language, culture and help the Brazilian community to feel secure and welcome in the area, also helping children and young people to have a sense of belonging, identity and to engage with the local community.