Unhae Langis
Email: ulangis@gmail.com
Artist Bio:
Unhae Langis is a former teacher-scholar turned activist-artist. Her most recent book with Julia Lupton, Shakespeare and Wisdom: Ecumenical, Ecological and Ethical Horizons highlights the need for shared wisdom (Arabic hikma, Hebrew hokma) for peace and survival of our species. In other words, we need to become homo sapiens, or wise humans, in our hearts, minds, and actions—the transformation necessary for human survival. Unhae's current ethico-political writings and art revolve around a free Palestine, symbolic for human liberation and transformation, for which Palestinians have martyred themselves and for which they bravely continue to strive.
The quilt in this exhibit is one within her Palestine collection. Palestine and Santa Cruz both share a Mediterranean climate and similar colors of the palette, as reflected in the quilt. They also have in common the Santa Cruz and Central Coast activists, whom Salem Alaydi’s message hearten and give courage to continue their activism and fundraising for the Palestinian people. There are 21 local organizations within the Central Coast Coalition for a Free Palestine.
The excerpt comes from Salem Alaydi’s Shadows of Gaza, which Iedited and for which I wrote an Introduction. Salem is an 18-year old nephew of Rolla Alaydi, a Pacific Grove resident, who lost 200 members of her family during the ongoing genocide in Gaza. I will present a book talk, accompanied by Rolla on January 3, 2026, 2-3:30 pm, at the Capitola Library. Please register to get a seat.
Since ancient times, textiles have offered texture and foundation for life, setting the warp and woof, the vertical and horizontal threads for the fabric of our lives. The ancient Hindu sūtra was a ‘thread’ or ‘rule’, stringing not only sheets of palm leaf together but also spiritual thoughts and ideas. Gandhi, the father of nonviolent resistance, used to spin yarn as a form of spiritual practice.
In this venerable textile-and-spiritual tradition, quilting, for me, has become an essential complement to my activist life in these most challenging times as we are assailed from all sides by the erosion of our economic democracy and our very humanness. Quilting offers me the chance to piece and stitch together all the tragic shattering of lives and safety net institutions buttressing our national and global order.
Other quilts in my Palestine collection include 5 quilts produced for a local “Know Their Names” event to grieve and honor Gaza’s babies killed during Israel’s genocide. My last one, showcased on KSQD First Person Singular, depicts these infant martyrs that Israel sent to the Heart of Being before their first birthday. As I was zigzagging with red thread the flashes of the airstrikes, the sharp angles pierced my heart, and I was so saddened that humanity has come to this savagery and numb brutality. To think that our Tax Dollars Supply These Bombs.
The 36 Baby Quilt Project will be exhibited some time next year at the Resource Center for Non-Violence, 612 Ocean Street. They can also be viewed online at Quilt Project: Babies Who Never Made It to Their First Birthday.
