“Word Portraits” is a paper quilt composed of 12 hand-embroidered tiles, each one pairing a word in Arabic with its Portuguese equivalent. Stitched in black and green thread onto cotton paper, the tiles are linguistic records linked together to form a unified composition.
Domestic traditions of storytelling inspire the quilt format through the fabric, reimagined here as a paper-based archive of etymological kinship. The spaces between each tile act as quiet pauses, inviting viewers to reflect on each word pairing and the cultural resonances it carries.
Designed and traced digitally, then translated by hand through a meditative process of embroidery and documentation, each tile becomes part of a larger system that honors repetition, slowness, and care. As a whole, the quilt becomes a tactile map of shared language and inherited memory—binding histories across time, geographies, and generations.
The Graduate Student Engagement Fund (GSEF) award funds this project.
Christine Da Cruz
Digital Asset Manager at International Rescue Committee
Christine Da Cruz (MLIS 2025) is a Digital Asset Manager and multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges archival stewardship with creative expression. Raised in the vibrant Portuguese community of the Ironbound in Newark, New Jersey, she draws deeply from her cultural heritage to inform both her visual language and professional ethos.
Christine balances her time between managing digital collections and developing conceptual art projects that explore language, memory, and identity. Her commitment to care and continuous learning shapes her contributions across both fields, allowing her to build systems that honor the past while making space for contemporary narratives.
Latest posts by Christine Da Cruz (see all)
- Word Portraits - April 29, 2025