Mother

The Mother Tongue library is a love letter to the thinkers, writers, and artists who’ve given us the language of courage when we needed it most.

Borrow, share, exchange as you wish, and return by the end of the season on February 6th.

A Living Library of 100 Books chosen by 100 cultural thinkers and curated by linguist scholar Eva Barbarossa. The Mother Tongue library and popup bookstore weaves together diverse perspectives on power and language: from the conversations of plants, to the secret lexicon of an extinct female-only language.

It spans cultures, eras, and genres: from protest poetry to con artists, from political philosophy to children's books.

Your mother tongue is the first language you learned to speak. By understanding the language of power and making it our native tongue, we can hold it, bend it, and channel it as our own.

BORROW FROM THE LIBRARY

Mother Tongue

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19 Ways of Looking at Wang Wei

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Our Mother Tongue season features fashion by King Kennedy and Qasimi, silkscreen bandanas by Eduardo Raul Muñoz-Villafaña, sign painted wooden matchboxes from South Asian brand Maachis, and hats from Ambos Project, dedicated to creating art and collaborations between the US / Mexican border.

QASIMI

For Qasimi AW 25, Hour Al Qasimi and Māori artist Emily Karaka joined forces to create a collection exploring indigenous connection, the language of the land, and political oppression. “Through ancestral patterns, intricate embroideries and changeable silhouettes, this collection reflects not only the ongoing struggle for Māori rights but also other indigenous struggles around the world. Karaka often references other oppressions and colonial histories as an expression of solidarity – something we all need to do at this present time.” - Hoor Al Qasimi

Qasimi is known for blending Middle Eastern heritage with modern tailoring aesthetics, using fashion for "political poetry," architectural precision, and cultural messaging, witth oversized silhouettes, traditional craftsmanship, and desert-inspired palettes designed for nomadic travelers.

maachis

In South Asia, matchboxes were canvases for art, politics, and storytelling. Sitting unnoticed in pockets and kitchen drawers, they carried bold designs, cultural icons, and fragments of a now forgotten history. From mythological motifs to political satire, from local mascots to film stars, they reflected who we were and what we believed in.

Maachis is an art revival project reimagining these tiny canvases as a modern medium of storytelling, giving new life to forgotten matchbox art.