TMCA to host Persian carpet designs expo

October 23, 2008

TMCA to host Persian carpet designs expo
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) is to host the great expo of Persian carpet patterns and designs opening on November 15.

Speaking at a press conference held here on Tuesday, Iranian researcher of Persian carpets Mohsen Mohseni said, “I have served the art of Persian carpets over the past 50 years and this is has been a great honor. This art not only beautifies the world’s great halls, but also represents the glory and pride of the Iranian nation.”

He later named several of his great endeavors over the past years including training experts of Persian carpet weaving, giving health services to carpet weaving workshops in Kerman, as well as insuring carpet weavers of Kerman and Khorasan.

“Persian carpet production is the only national occupation in which all of its component parts are exclusively Iranian, and no part of it is imported. Fortunately, the field of Persian carpets has established a solid position in the country and it is now taught at universities, attracting great number of the youth,” he remarked.

He went on to say, “Unfortunately, the global commercial system has greatly impacted the art of the Persian carpet, giving us a warning to refine and respect this art even more. So we decided to collect designs and patterns of Persian carpets that have been produced over the past 100 years and put them on display.”

Secretary of the expo, Mohammad-Ali Rajabi was the next who made a speech and said, “We are displaying the designs of Persian carpets to show the tremendous talent of the Iranian masters.

“We negotiated with the Iran Carpet Company, the Carpet Museum of Iran, businessmen and private collectors to provide us with samples of carpet designs they possess for the exhibit, and as a result, almost 300 designs of carpets from the past 100 years will go on display.

“Several designs of Iran’s Constitutional Movement era, as well as the carpets themselves will be on exhibit for one month, with Master Mohseni also to be honored on the closing day of December 15. Plans call for the displayed designs to be published later in a book,” he stated.

Researcher Hassan Bolkhari who also will be attending the conference, announced that Iran’s Academy of Art has established the traditional arts group to promote art that reflect our national identity, with special emphasis on the art of Persian carpets.