Layla Khoo

Huge thanks to everyone who has supported both publicly and privately during a very difficult time.

If you took part and wish to have an image of your completed piece, let me know and I'll do what I can

#avirtuouswoman
#participatoryart
#HardwickHall

and the issues they raise, mean for freedom of creative expression.

There will be an opportunity to see the original artwork in Leeds next year at the completion of my PhD on the subject of participatory arts in heritage settings...

back to see it complete this year, but there doesn't seem to be a way around this.The compromise is that there is now a projection of the original artwork alongside interpretation explaining to visitors what took place and asking them to consider what these acts...

Sadly the original textile work cannot be displayed due to continued risk of further activism. This is a huge shame for all of the donors of meaningful fabric, and for the many, many participants who took part in creating the work and were hoping to come...

The redisplay of A Virtuous Woman is now open to visitors at Hardwick Hall

My artwork, A Virtuous Woman, has become the centre of a protest – it shows how our polarised society can affect art After two people added the name of author J.K. Rowling to the piece and another embroidered a line of stitches through both instances, things became complicated.

theconversation.com/my-artwork-a...

Bloody hell

Already added this to my list of things to do while in the area this summer!

I will not be responding to bullying and harassment to comment further on this matter on social media platforms

As the activities over recent weeks have made abundantly clear, social media is not the place for nuanced or constructive discussion and debate. A full article on the events around A Virtuous Woman will follow.

I loved it, it was everything I want a Jurassic park film to be

Thank you, I'm aware

All panels now incorporated into the final textile artwork A Virtuous Woman

Sadly, following recent events the completed artwork has been taken down from public display.
The team are currently working on ways the artwork can be displayed, along with further details on the events leading to this.

Anna Mae Wong - American Actor

Pink - American Singer Songwriter and Activist

Personally Esteemed:

OMA
Annie
Carol Mary
Mummy
Mya
Izzy
Esther
Aunty Jude
Grannie
Louise
Ella
Mary
Taylor
Dada
Zofia K
Nasim
Aishah
Nanny
Georgia
Mane
Mummy
Kathy
Chloe

Kamala Harris - American Democratic Politician, Former Vice President of USA 2021-2025

Grace Petrie - British Singer songwriter

Florence Nightingale - British Nurse, Statistician, Social Reformer and Founder of Modern
Nursing

Emmeline Pankhurst - British Political / Women's Rights Activist - Suffragette

Queen Elizabeth II x 2 - Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Realms 1952-2022

Boudica - British Queen of Iceni Tribe

Valentina Tereshkova - Russian Engineer and Cosmonaut, First Woman in space

Cleopatra - Egyptian Queen 51-30BC

Maya Forstater - British Gender Critical Activist

Marie Curie - Polish-French physicist and chemist (pioneering work in radioactivity) Nobel Prize
winnner

Malala - Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Female Education Activist, Film and TV Producer

JK Rowling – British Author and Philanthropist
(once intact and once crossed out)

Florence Nightingale - British Nurse, Statistician, Social Reformer and Founder of Modern
Nursing

Amy Johnson - British Pioneer Pilot

Mary Anning - British Fossil Collector and Palaeontologist

Panel of visitor embroidery on the dress of A Virtuous Woman

Publicly Recognised:

Dolly Parton - American Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Actor, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

Queen Elizabeth 1st
– Queen of England 1533 - 1603

Mary Shelly - British Author

I will go into further detail on this later this week, but would first like to feature each piece, and the women nominated, in the same way as all other panels have been shown in this series.

This panel, like all of the previous panels, was photographed prior to being sewn onto the finished textile, and so is shown in the state it was originally displayed.

This panel and the following panel feature participation which has caused discussion, debate, emotive responses, and ultimately the “temporary” removal of the artwork from display.

All panels now incorporated into the final textile artwork A Virtuous Woman

#embroidery
#avirtuouswoman
#textileart
#participatoryart
#hardwickhall

Personally Esteemed:

Pauline
Lyra
Sister Mary Adrian
Mummy
Veronica Andre
Amelia
Bronze
Veren_a
Slyvia
Norma
Mum

Mel B - British Singer, Songwriter, TV Personality

Elizabeth II - Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Realms 1952-2022

Mary Robinson- Irish President 1990-1997, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 1997-2002

Matilda - Fictional Character

Rosa Parks - American Civil Rights Activist

JK Rowling (crossed out) – British Author and Philanthropist

Keeley Hodgkinson - British Olympic Athlete

Hillary Clinton - American Democrat Politician, Secretary of State 2009-2013, First Lady of USA 1993-2001

Ada Lovelace - English Mathematician and Writer

Emily Davidson - British suffragette

Emily Pankhurst - British Political / Women's Rights Activist - Suffragette

Marie Curie - Polish-French physicist and chemist (pioneering work in radioactivity) Nobel Prize
Winner

Meghan Duchess of Sussex - American Actor, Charity Advocate and Member of the British Royal Family

Kate Bush - British Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer and Dancer

Evelyn Glenny - Scottish Percussionist

Nancy Astor - American British Unionist (Conservative) Politician, First Woman MP

Panel of visitor embroidery on the dress of A Virtuous Woman

Publicly Recognised:

Jeanne de Clisson - French Noblewoman and Pirate

Maddie Moate - British TV Presenter, Podcaster, Youtuber and Author

Bridget Christie - British Comedian, Actor and Writer

I will go into further detail on this next week, but will first feature each piece, and the women nominated, in the same way as all other panels