The artwork
On 25 November 2025, Orange the World Day, the sculpture A Minute of Shelter by Narges Mohammadi will be revealed on Coolsingel.
In 2018, 16-year-old Humeyra was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend while at school in Rotterdam. She was no exception. Femicide, the killing of women by men because of their gender, unfortunately continues to be a frequently occurring phenomenon, also in this country. A year later, the city council passed a resolution to commemorate Humeyra, as well as all other victims of (domestic) violence against women.
This monument draws attention to the fate of women and girls who are, were, or will one day be in an unsafe situation. This is necessary because violence against women unfortunately continues to be a problem around the world. In the Netherlands, the Rotterdam region is where the most domestic violence incidents take place. Rotterdam is therefore a particularly suitable location for this first permanent monument dedicated to stopping violence against women.
Domestic violence changes what should be a ‘home’ into an unsafe place you need to run from. The wall Mohammadi designed represents the room that to so many is the only safe space in the house: the bathroom, with a door that can be locked. Made from red bricks, the artwork has two different sides: an exterior and an interior, with protruding and receding objects. Since the elements are life-sized, it is easy to image being either inside or outside of the created space. The bag on the floor refers to a sense of insecurity as well as to the instinct to flee: everything you need to survive should fit in that one bag.
