Threads of Light: Rumana Yasmin Weaves Resilience from Dhaka to Middlesbrough

In the heart of Middlesbrough, a vibrant new light is cutting through the grey, woven from the memories, struggles, and triumphs of women who have crossed continents to call the UK home. At the center of this luminous tapestry stands Rumana Yasmin, the visionary founder of Bok Bok Books, whose deep connection to her Bangladeshi roots has birthed "Stitching Light," an evocative textile and light installation currently transforming The Courtyard at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

For Rumana, this exhibition is far more than a display of artistic skill; it is a reclamation of narrative. Drawing from the rich cultural soil of her homeland, Rumana has spent years championing diverse storytelling. Her journey from her heritage in Bangladesh to establishing herself as a creative force in the UK has always been defined by a desire to bridge worlds. With "Stitching Light," she brings that mission to a poignant crescendo, utilizing the ancient language of Bangladeshi folk art to speak to modern British realities.

The installation itself is a breathtaking visual journey. Visitors are greeted by numerous tapestries bathed in light, painted in vibrant purples, lush greens, and striking reds. These are not abstract patterns but detailed chronicles of life—depicting traditional houses, rolling greenery, and the everyday people who inhabit these spaces. The panels were hand-painted by an artist in Dhaka, creating a tangible, physical link between the streets of Bangladesh and the north of England.

This project carries a profound weight in the wake of the social unrest that fractured communities across the UK last year. Middlesbrough, which felt the tremors of those riots, is now the stage for a different kind of gathering. Rumana Yasmin explains that the project was conceived not just to reflect on where these families came from, but to forcefully celebrate what they bring with them. She notes that while Middlesbrough was shaken by the riots, a project like this offers necessary reassurance, proving that there is a powerful counter-current of hope and solidarity flowing through the town.

The artwork serves as a collective memoir for the diaspora. While the visual language is distinctly South Asian, the stories are shared across the UK. The project has drawn together threads from women in Tower Hamlets, Leeds, Bradford, Worcester, and Salford, uniting them with participants from Middlesbrough. It highlights the shared experience of migration—the resilience required to plant roots in new soil while keeping the spirit of the old home alive.

One particularly striking tapestry in the collection captures a domestic scene of a person resting, rendered in bright yellows, blues, and reds, while another foregrounds the architecture of home amidst nature. These images, glowing under the installation lights, demand that the viewer acknowledge the humanity and history of the storyteller.

Lou Scholes, the creative producer for Borderlands, believes the exhibition resonates because of this raw authenticity. She describes the artwork as possessing an extraordinary power full of passion, noting that the stories of courage, resilience, and cultural preservation speak directly to everyone who walks through the installation.

Through Rumana Yasmin’s guidance, "Stitching Light" has become a beacon. It reminds the community that while the journey from Bangladesh to Britain involves leaving a physical home behind, the stories, the color, and the light are never lost—they are simply restitched into the fabric of a new life.