Beizaei Producing Persian Carpet Documentary

Beizaei Producing Carpet Documentary

TEHRAN, May 31--Playwright and filmmaker Bahram Beizaei is currently working on a short documentary titled ’Talking Rug’ which deals with the Iranian carpet industry.
According to the Persian daily ’Bonnie Film’, Beizaei shot the documentary in Tehran’s Saadabad Cultural Complex and Carpet Museum.
Asked about what message the film wants to convey to viewers, he simply replied: “I have nothing to tell to anybody.“
Beizaei added, “If you expect me to call for saving the industry, you are mistaken. The industry was destroyed suddenly and it can never be revived.
“I make the film in honor of those who have enthusiastically been engaged in weaving carpets for years.“
Elaborating on the production of the film in the field, he pointed out, “Carpet industry is not new to me and several years ago, I talked about the influence of carpet on my work.“
The film narrates the part of the carpet story that is little known to the public, he said, adding, “I am producing a film on the designs which have been forgotten for six or seven decades and are no longer woven.“
’Talking Rug’ does not make use of words and it just features pictures accompanied by music, he noted.
Mohammad Reza Darvishi, a researcher on regional music, has undertaken the composition of the music for the film.

'Semnan, Pearl of the Silk Road'

'Semnan, Pearl of the Silk Road'
Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:56:50
Iran has published Semnan, Pearl of the Silk Road, a comprehensive book which explores the splendor of the northern historical city.

Semnan, Pearl of the Silk Road includes unique pictures of the city's historical monuments, natural landscapes and native population taken by Homayoun Amir Yeganeh.

Semnan is located at the southern foot of the Alborz mountain range and is considered to be a regional market for grain and cotton.

The city which was once located on the ancient Silk Road, is now famous for its textile, carpet and automobile industry.

Dr Azita Rajabi's 164-paged Persian and English book has been published by Gouya Art House, the famous publisher of Iranology books.

Dr. Rajabi is a professor of urban planning. Her latest work 'Morphology of the Bazaar' is a thorough study of the Persian bazaar.

Kish Carpet Fair April 29 - May 2 2008

Kish - Handmade Carpet International Exhibition

Following five successful handmade Persian carpet exhibitions which were held in Kish and brought together famous producers and exporters with their unique collections, the Exhibition Committee has decided to hold the sixth exhibition at an international level, with carpet producers and dealers participating from across the world. Kish Island will host the Exhibition from 29 April - 2 May 2008.

A Free Trade Zone and renowned tourism resort, Kish Island possesses 21,000 square meters of exhibition space and a wealth of experience in holding various events. The Island offers a calm and pleasant environment for exhibitions and business activities. Foreign nationals need no entry visa and foreign goods may be easily imported into the Island benefiting from low rates of customs tariff. These favourable factors provide other countries with a suitable opportunity to take part in the exhibitions held on Kish Island.

The present exhibition is expected to attract a large number of carpet producers and dealers from around the world including Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, etc. Exhibitors from these countries, along with Iranian carpet producers and exporters, will display a wide variety of handmade carpets and floor coverings

Moreover, handmade carpet dealers from other countries who are invited by the Exhibition Committee have a suitable opportunity to buy their requirements and desired collections. Also, a large number of visitors are expected to attend and buy from the Exhibition.

World's largest carpet to be unveiled by Iran Carpet

World's largest carpet to be unveiled
Wed, 06 Jun 2007 10:48:00

Iranians have earned $8.6m from weaving the world's largest carpet measuring 5,627 square meters.
The world's largest and most exquisite hand-woven carpet will be unveiled in Tehran in the near future, a carpet industry official has said.

The Managing Director of the Iran Carpet Joint Stock Company, Jalaleddin Bassam, also said the carpet has been woven by Iranian weavers at the behest of the United Arab Emirates.

The company earned 80 billion rials ($8.6 million) from weaving the world's largest carpet measuring 5,627 square meters.

"It will take us three months to install the carpet in a mosque in Abu Dubai," Mehr news agency quoted Bassam as saying, who added his company has since received dozens of orders from the United Arab Emirates.

"Our company is going to weave 24 carpets and two carpet tableaus measuring a sum of 550 square meters for the UAE with a value of $1 billion," he said.

The official added several Europe-based Iranian merchants have also ordered hand-woven carpets measuring more than 2,000 square meters.

"Receiving orders from abroad will bring prestige and profit for Iranian carpet weavers," he said.

Iran exported $364 million worth of carpets last year but its share of the global carpet market is at risk as India and Pakistan move towards producing low-cost carpets for international buyers.

Iran, Pakistan and India are major carpet producers and produce roughly 43, 26 and 24 percent of the world's carpets respectively.

EB/MR/BGH

Persian Rugs The Top Ten Best Sellers Spring 2007

Persian Rugs The Top Ten Best Sellers Spring 2007
Top 10
Sarouk Rugs
Hamadan Rugs
Kashmar Rugs
Tabriz Rugs
Mashad Rugs
Isfahan Rugs
Gabbeh Rugs
Ardabil Rugs
Bakhtiari Rugs
Heriz Rugs
Based on Industry sources and reflects on Internet sales predominently in the US market.

The RIA Convention

Recently I had the opportunity to speak at the RIA convention in Orlando. RIA was ASCR, was AIDS, was NIRC. It is the trade group for Rug Cleaners and Restoration Professionals. Uncle Jimmy Keshishian was national president back in 1981 when it was NIRC (National Institute of Rug Cleaners, I think, or maybe it was AIDS). Anyway they found me and persuaded me to come and talk. I prepared a long PowerPoint show and just talked about the rugs. I was going to talk about Persian Rugs as a non-verbal language but at the last minute I decided against it. I recalled a comment by Stuart Cary Welch in the forward of one of his books. He said something about writing a specialist book for the 6 experts in the field or he could write for the general public. He chose to write for the public. I am glad I kept it general since I think everyone enjoyed it. Actually I hope they enjoyed it since I have not seen the comment cards yet.
I think I need to get out and lecture more. I learn far more than I teach but the reaction tends to be positive anyway. I find that more and more of my thoughts are becoming generally accepted. Years ago one of the curators at the Smithsonian responded to one of my theories by saying, "Mr. O'Connell, You have every right to think so... But keep in mind that No One Agrees". Now I hear people advance ideas that only a few years ago I was castigated for when I came up with them. Not to pick on anyone in particular but it is heartening to see ideas gain traction. I think the success of my sites is due in large part to the fact that when I make a mistake I go back and correct it. One of the weaknesses of the Internet is that all time is now. All too often errors left uncorrected take on a life of their own.
Best wishes,
Barry