Zeynep Öz, along with artist, educator and weaver Hellen Ascoli, delves into the textile traditions of Guatemala. They discuss Ascoli’s contributions to SB16 — a combination of collage, writing and weaving for the YAZ publication series, as well as a commissioned site-specific work using brick moulds, called 'The World Upside Down' (2024). Ascoli’s work with the backstrap loom, along with her translation practice in Baltimore, serve as entry points to explore the interconnections between tools and place through reflections on migration, language and hierarchies of knowledge production. Tune in to listen to the sound the backstrap loom produces as you learn about the embodied experience of weaving with it.

'The World is Upside Down' is on view at Al Dhaid Farm from 6 February until 15 June 2025.

CREDITS

Host: Zeynep Öz

Guest: Hellen Ascoli

Editorial and Content Strategy: Jyoti Dhar, Kamayani Sharma and Mahshid Rafiei

Podcast Producer: Kamayani Sharma

Sound Engineer: Basil Kisswani 

Shownotes: Rajwant Sandhu and Suguna Sridhar

Music and Sound: Sound recording of the backstrap loom in use by Hellen Ascoli (2024)

Special Thanks: Nawar Al Qassimi, Jiwon Lee, May Rashid and Meera Madhu

© Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025

This episode was recorded on 15 October 2024.