Collective Threads: A Public Presence

Collective Threads: A Public Presence is a community project culminating in a powerful new exhibition by award-winning artist Kathrin Longhurst, launching during Refugee Week 2025. Through large-scale figurative portraiture and an immersive video installation, the project centres the voices of Iranian-Australian women and LGBTQI+ individuals who have faced censorship, displacement, and gender-based persecution. At a time when human rights and gender equity remain under siege globally, the exhibition invites audiences to consider whether oppression is bound by geography - and what it means to belong in public space.

Bringing together over a dozen collaborators – visual artists, musicians, activists, advocates, and filmmakers – Collective Threads is both a creative act and a political statement. The exhibition reclaims propaganda aesthetics to challenge patriarchal narratives, pairing monumental paintings with spoken-word performances and bilingual video works in English and Farsi. These deeply personal testimonials, produced with Kurdish Iranian filmmakers, offer a blueprint for solidarity and healing that resonates far beyond the gallery. Live events will extend the work into the community, creating space for dialogue around feminism, migration, and cultural identity.

This website is a dedicated media resource for the exhibition. Here, you can access the images, video previews, artist and participant info, and downloadable materials. For interview requests, media tours, and event coverage opportunities, please visit our Contact section to contact us directly. Collective Threads is more than an exhibition—it’s a timely conversation starter with global relevance and local urgency.

About the Project

Hear their story

Film by L.R.P. Productions

https://lrpictures.com.au/

Video Intro

Paintings by Kathrin Longhurst

Rozita, 2024, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Rozita is a passionate refugee lawyer and activist who arrived in Australia in 2012. Having worked as a lawyer in Iran, she dedicated her career to fighting for women’s rights under challenging circumstances. Since resettling in Australia, Rozita continues her advocacy, using her expertise and lived experience to support and empower refugees and women in her new community.

Tina, 2024, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Tina is an NDIS provider, architectural designer specialising in neurodiverse design, and a dedicated Councillor at the City of Ryde. At the heart of all her work lies a deep commitment to advocacy, driven by a vision to create inclusive platforms that amplify the voices of marginalised and underrepresented communities. Drawing inspiration from her own refugee journey and the challenges many individuals face due to diverse circumstances, Tina channels her lived experience into tireless community service, striving to drive meaningful, systemic change.

Fezeh, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Fezeh arrived in Australia in 2013 and was sent to an offshore processing centre in Nauru. Despite these challenges, she has become a dedicated teacher at TSO Organisation, where she instructs sewing classes for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Through her work, Fezeh empowers others to gain new skills and confidently participate in Australian society.

Nazanin, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Naz is a resilient entrepreneur who came to Australia from Iran in 2013. Together with her mother, she founded a business that has flourished in her new homeland. Naz’s journey reflects her determination and her commitment to building a better future for herself and her family.

Maryam, 2024, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Maryam arrived in Australia in 2012 after fleeing domestic violence, bravely seeking safety for herself and her child. Her journey inspired her to become a domestic violence activist, and she now works tirelessly to advocate for and support other women who are facing similar hardships, helping them find hope and a new beginning in Australia.

Hamed, 2024, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Hamed is a courageous member of the LGBT community from Iran who endured years of discrimination and hardship before fleeing with his partner to Turkey. Despite spending nine difficult years in Turkey facing continued prejudice, Hamed never gave up hope. Last year, he finally arrived in Australia through a UNHCR refugee program. Now, Hamed is pursuing his passion by studying a baking course at TAFE, with the dream of one day opening his own café and building a brighter future.

Sahar, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Sahar is a gifted ceramic artist and educator at UNSW Art & Design. Throughout her life, she has been actively involved in protests and movements against the Iranian Islamic regime, using both her art and her activism to advocate for freedom and justice. Sahar’s work reflects her enduring commitment to creative expression and social change.

Nasim, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Nasim arrived in Australia in 2024, bringing with her a remarkable background as a doctor, musician, and political activist. In Iran, she was deeply involved in the movement against the Islamic regime, providing medical care to protesters and using her voice as a singer to inspire change. Her courage and talents continue to shine as she builds a new life in Australia.

Forough, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Forough has called Australia home for over 30 years, having sought refuge here while escaping the oppressive Islamic regime in Iran. A lifelong political activist, she has dedicated decades to standing up against injustice and advocating for freedom in her homeland. Forough’s unwavering commitment to human rights and her enduring fight against the Iranian regime continue to inspire those around her, both within the Iranian community and beyond.

Setareh, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Setareh arrived in Australia as a child when her family fled the Iranian regime in search of safety and freedom. Growing up, she witnessed and experienced the profound challenges and trauma faced by her parents and herself as refugees. Despite these hardships, Setare has built a life of resilience and creativity—she is now both a dedicated teacher and a talented actress, using her experiences to inspire and empower others.

Floura, 2025, oil and mixed media on linen, 91x121cm

Floura immigrated to Australia 31 years ago. Her work with children and her passion for art have led her to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where she has worked in various roles. Throughout her life, she has always valued freedom and human rights - for herself and for others - and she strives to uphold and advocate for these principles in her personal life, her work, and her home.