A total of four million square meters of handwoven Iranian carpets are exported each year to American, European and Persian Gulf littoral states as well as to Japan, China and Russia.
Announcing this, Head of Iran's National Carpet Center Morteza Faraji told IRNA on Sunday that most of the exported carpets are woven in West and East Azarbaijan provinces as well as in Khorasan, Fars and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari.
Commenting on the center's programs to upgrade the industry, Faraji further said that producing films, publishing brochures, holding provincial and national festivals, issuing specification cards for carpets are on the center's agenda.
Revising the standards, training carpet weavers to improve the quality of carpets, using modern technology and paving the way for electronic commerce are among the other undertakings of the institute.
"Carpet is not an industrial goods; rather, it is an artistic and cultural item going back to ancient times," he observed.
Faraji also announced that an exhibition of hand-woven carpets will be held from August 22-28.
The event, which has been warmly welcomed by foreign businessmen, will introduce the Iranian carpet industry better than before, Faraji concluded. --IRNA
Monday, August 4, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
exhibition of antique Oriental rugs called “Woven Gardens,”
Summer Blooms in exhibit of rare antique rugs
Dublin, NH – This August, visitors have a rare opportunity to visit a late-summer garden blooming in western New Hampshire. The blooms, however, can’t be found in the meadows and fields near Mt. Monadnock. These gardens are on the walls and floors of Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, in an exhibition of antique Oriental rugs called “Woven Gardens,” now running through September 1 at Pap’s gallery at 1225 Main Street in Dublin, NH. In conjunction with the exhibition, Pap ,dealer in antique oriental rugs an authority on antique Oriental rugs and collecting, discusses the artisanship and investment value of antique rugs during a lecture entitled “Valuing Antique Rugs: Beauty and Investment” on Thursday, August 21, at 4 p.m. The lecture is free, but reservations are required. More information is available at www.peterpap.com and 603/563-8717. Exhibit hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon -5 p.m. through Labor Day. The gallery is closed Mondays and Tuesdays through Labor Day. The 40 rugs featured in “Woven Gardens” depict weavers’ versions of gardens, even paradise. Various interpretations of plants and flowers are represented in the exhibit, from a highly representational, fine Persian rug to a very geometric, stylized Caucasian village rug. “A strong case can be made that nearly every Oriental rug is about gardens and plants,” says Pap. “The derivation of all design (in Oriental rugs) other than animal forms is from nature. There are some architectural motifs, but the vast majority of designs are derived from plants and flower forms.” Many experts believe that the great royal carpets of 16th and 17th century Persia were woven to represent a garden paradise, with flowers and trees in full bloom. The rugs in “Woven Gardens” were created by nomadic tribespeople over 100 years ago; others were created by weavers in villages in Persia (present-day Iran), India, and Turkey. Highlights of the exhibit include a circa 1800 Persian palace carpet, featuring myriad cypress trees, willows, small flowering trees and shrubs against a field of flowers. “Everything is very alive and appears to be still growing,” says Pap. “The interplay between the structure of the design and the feeling of freedom and aliveness is a wonderful achievement.” Also included in the exhibit is an unusually fine Persian Serapi carpet from the late 19th century. The weavers beautifully articulate the plant and flower forms on this rug, which is typically coarser, using the best natural dyes of the day. A Brief History of Oriental Rugs Oriental rugs were created centuries ago by nomadic and mountain peoples of Persia, Afghanistan, India, southern Russia and Turkey. They had mundane uses as bedding, decoration in tents, even as makeshift furniture. Persian carpets were found in the palaces of emperors and princes. Great court ateliers used book illuminators to create the arabesques and scrolling vines often seen on Persian carpets. Nomadic people created designs that were passed from generation to generation; settled tribespeople combined geometric motifs with a style and format borrowed from more sophisticated urban elements featuring floral arabesques. The reputations of these designers and weavers spread throughout the civilized world as Oriental rugs became coveted in the United States and Europe. Peter Pap, a dealer in antique Oriental rugs for more than 30 years, is recognized internationally by collectors and decorators as one of the country's foremost experts on antique Oriental rugs, carpets and tribal weavings. With galleries in San Francisco and Dublin, and an office in New York City, Pap also participates in many top antiques shows including New York’s Winter Antiques Show, the Philadelphia Antiques Show, and the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show. A frequent lecturer at antique shows and museums, Pap is an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow on PBS and an occasional guest on Martha Stewart Living Radio on Sirius. For more information about “Woven Gardens” and to reserve a space at the accompanying lecture “Valuing Antique Rugs: Beauty and Investment,” call (603) 563-8717; email wovengardens@peterpap.com; or visit www.peterpap.com.
The 40 rugs featured in “Woven Gardens” depict weavers’ versions of gardens, even paradise. Various interpretations of plants and flowers are represented in the exhibit, from a highly representational, fine Persian rug to a very geometric, stylized Caucasian village rug.
“A strong case can be made that nearly every Oriental rug is about gardens and plants,” says Pap. “The derivation of all design (in Oriental rugs) other than animal forms is from nature. There are some architectural motifs, but the vast majority of designs are derived from plants and flower forms.” Many experts believe that the great royal carpets of 16th and 17th century Persia were woven to represent a garden paradise, with flowers and trees in full bloom.
The rugs in “Woven Gardens” were created by nomadic tribespeople over 100 years ago; others were created by weavers in villages in Persia (present-day Iran), India, and Turkey. Highlights of the exhibit include a circa 1800 Persian palace carpet, featuring myriad cypress trees, willows, small flowering trees and shrubs against a field of flowers. “Everything is very alive and appears to be still growing,” says Pap. “The interplay between the structure of the design and the feeling of freedom and aliveness is a wonderful achievement.” Also included in the exhibit is an unusually fine Persian Serapi carpet from the late 19th century. The weavers beautifully articulate the plant and flower forms on this rug, which is typically coarser, using the best natural dyes of the day.
A Brief History of Oriental Rugs
Oriental rugs were created centuries ago by nomadic and mountain peoples of Persia, Afghanistan, India, southern Russia and Turkey. They had mundane uses as bedding, decoration in tents, even as makeshift furniture. Persian carpets were found in the palaces of emperors and princes. Great court ateliers used book illuminators to create the arabesques and scrolling vines often seen on Persian carpets. Nomadic people created designs that were passed from generation to generation; settled tribespeople combined geometric motifs with a style and format borrowed from more sophisticated urban elements featuring floral arabesques. The reputations of these designers and weavers spread throughout the civilized world as Oriental rugs became coveted in the United States and Europe.
Peter Pap, a dealer in antique Oriental rugs for more than 30 years, is recognized internationally by collectors and decorators as one of the country's foremost experts on antique Oriental rugs, carpets and tribal weavings. With galleries in San Francisco and Dublin, and an office in New York City, Pap also participates in many top antiques shows including New York’s Winter Antiques Show, the Philadelphia Antiques Show, and the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show. A frequent lecturer at antique shows and museums, Pap is an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow on PBS and an occasional guest on Martha Stewart Living Radio on Sirius.
For more information about “Woven Gardens” and to reserve a space at the accompanying lecture “Valuing Antique Rugs: Beauty and Investment,” call (603) 563-8717; email wovengardens@peterpap.com; or visit www.peterpap.com.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Garden Carpets as Paradise
Anita Kulkarni
Take Taj Mahal, for instance. What heightens its splendour is the surroundings— the mirror-like pool before it, the green lawns and the soft whisper of fountains. Each of these elements is a key to Islamic architecture, where natural features subtly soften the stark monument.
All Mughal garden architecture has roots in the Persian (Iranian) paradise gardens. In Persia, the garden was born as a retreat from the desert. Water, being scarce, was brought from distant mountains to create these gardens. It is only natural then that water was the guiding thread of a Persian garden arrangement.
A Persian garden incorporates architecture and planting—groves of flowering almond, pomegranate trees, damask roses— with water rills and shade-giving pavilions. It evokes a place where walls shut out the desert.
The Mughals in 17th and 18th century India built gardens in which flowers, fruit trees, water and shade were arranged in a unified composition. The most notable examples are, of course, the Taj Mahal gardens in Agra and the Shalimar Garden of Kashmir. The Taj is an intricate masterpiece of Mughal symbolism—a wide metaphysical landscape with the Yamuna river on one side and a paradisical garden on the other. The motif is of the ‘charbagh’; but the heart of the Taj, the tomb, lies not at the centre of the ‘charbagh’, but on the terrace to the north, overlooking the Yamuna.
The symbolism of paradise
The Islamic garden design vocabulary is drawn from descriptive verses of paradise gardens in the Quran and Hadith.
Fourfold harmony: The plan of the Taj Mahal gardens. Photograph: Anita Kulkarni
• All Islamic gardens have an inward orientation.
• They are enclosed by walls, providing seclusion and protection from the climate.
• The garden is divided into four quadrants by water channels or walkways, with a fountain at the centre—hence the ‘charbagh’.
• The ‘charbagh’ signifies the four rivers in Allah’s Gardens of Paradise according to the Quran: the rivers of water, wine, milk and honey.
• Water and shade are two important design elements—they are mentioned in the Quran as rewards for the righteous, possibly owing to the aridity of the lands where Islam originated. So, pavilions are built directly above running water. Trees are planted for cool shade and breeze.
• The designs use classic motifs to depict a rich green oasis, rather like the vast carpet of cultivated agricultural land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. They are known for their endless vistas and play with light and colour.
• The garden layout is meant to be appreciated from a distance, from pavilions, rather than expressed through walkways or paths through it.
• The mood changes depending on the time of day and season, which influences the blooming of flowers and shape of trees. It is manifold and moving, just like life.
Persian gardens beautifully exhibit a fine understanding of the fundamentals of landscape architecture—long before the science acquired its name. Indeed, the rich artistry of Persian carpets also employs the imagery of the Persian paradise gardens with the classic motifs of ‘charbagh’, flower beds and vine-covered walls.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
President Donates Precious Carpet to Museum
President Donates Precious Carpet to Museum
Parviz Eskandarpour Khorrami also told Fars News Agency that experts believe the carpet belongs to the famous carpet-weaving workshop named ’Amu Oqli’, which was woven more than 100 years ago.
“Amu Oqli is the most famous carpet-weaving workshop dating back to the Qajar and Pahlavi eras, which was run by three generations of Amu Oqli family,“ he said.
The official pointed out that natural colors are used in the Amu Oqli carpet.
“The carpet is made of cotton, wool and natural fabrics,“ he added.
Khorrami said the Presidential Office will donate a total of 135 precious carpets to the museum, 40 of which have already been donated.
Monday, July 28, 2008
TM to Honor Keshishian and others at Gala
The Textile Museum to Host Tribute Dinner Fundraising Gala at the Historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
The Textile Museum will host its third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala on Thursday, October 16 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm at the historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Textile Museum will honor preeminent scholar Jon Thompson with the George Hewitt Myers Award, named for The Textile Museum's founder and given in recognition of his lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts. Also included in the evening program is the presentation of the Museum's inaugural Awards of Distinction to longtime supporters Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman for their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum's mission. The Tribute Dinner is part of the Museum's "Tribute to Textiles Weekend" (October 15-19, 2008), a full program of interrelated events celebrating the textile arts.
(PRWEB) July 28, 2008 -- The Textile Museum will host its third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala on Thursday, October 16 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm at the historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Textile Museum will honor preeminent scholar Jon Thompson with the George Hewitt Myers Award, named for The Textile Museum's founder and given in recognition of his lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts. Also included in the evening program is the presentation of the Museum's inaugural Awards of Distinction to longtime supporters Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman for their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum's mission. The Tribute Dinner is part of the Museum's "Tribute to Textiles Weekend" (October 15-19, 2008), a full program of interrelated events celebrating the textile arts.
George Hewitt Myers Award Honoree
Jon Thompson is a noted scholar in the field of textile arts. From 2001 to 2007, Thompson held the position of May Beattie Fellow in Carpet Studies at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology and the Khalili Research Centre, at the University of Oxford. In this capacity, he directed the Beattie Carpet Archive, working toward the establishment of a database of images and notes on carpets made by May Hamilton Beattie (1908-1996) in order to make her research available to scholars. His work also involved teaching courses on carpets and textiles of the Islamic world at Oxford University and at the British Museum. Though now retired from Oxford, Thompson continues to teach in London at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
This year Thompson is guest curator of an exhibition celebrating the 75th anniversary of the New York-based Hajji Baba Club, the nation's oldest and most prestigious rug and textile collecting group. The exhibition is on view at the New York Historical Society through August 17, 2008 and will open as "Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas" at The Textile Museum on October 18, 2008. The exhibition is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated catalogue, "Timbuktu to Tibet: Exotic Rugs and Textiles from New York Collectors," also written by Thompson.
Awards of Distinction Honorees
Awards of Distinction honorees Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman have supported The Textile Museum for many years as Trustees and through philanthropic gifts, donations to the collections, loans for exhibitions, public program presentations and other generous contributions. They were chosen to receive The Textile Museum's inaugural Awards of Distinction in recognition of their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum's mission, and will be honored during the Museum's Tribute Dinner on October 16.
"The dedication of these individuals to our mission sustains our efforts and ensures our future growth as a leader in scholarship, presentation and conservation of the textile arts," said Museum Director Daniel Walker. "We are pleased to honor their many contributions, in so many forms, to The Textile Museum."
About the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
The largest luxury hotel in Washington D.C., the Mayflower, an acclaimed Renaissance Washington D.C. hotel, is a proud member of Historic Hotels of America. Situated in the heart of the business district, just four blocks from the White House, this historic hotel offers a timeless aura that makes it the "second best address in the nation's capital."
About "Tribute to Textiles Weekend"
From Wednesday, October 15 through Sunday, October 19, 2008, The Textile Museum will host a "Tribute to Textiles Weekend." The event-filled celebration includes the Museum's third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala; the annual Textile Museum Fall Symposium, this year on the topic Cultural Threads: Exploring the Context of Oriental Rugs and Textiles; and several events held in conjunction with the fall exhibition, "Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas," opening October 18.
For more information about the "Tribute to Textiles Weekend" program, sponsorship opportunities, to purchase tickets for the Tribute Dinner gala, or to register for The Textile Museum Fall Symposium, visit www.textilemuseum.org or contact Ingrid Faulkerson at (202) 667-0441, ext. 78 or ifaulkerson@textilemuseum.org.
About The Textile Museum
Established in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, The Textile Museum is an international center for the exhibition, study, collection and preservation of the textile arts. The Museum explores the role that textiles play in the daily and ceremonial life of individuals the world over. Special attention is given to textiles of the Near East, Asia, Africa and the indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Museum also presents exhibitions of historical and contemporary quilts, and fiber art. With a collection of more than 18,000 textiles and rugs and an unparalleled library, The Textile Museum is a unique and valuable resource for people locally, nationally and internationally.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Gilan Mat Weaving On the Decline
Gilan Mat Weaving
On the Decline
On the Decline
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Until a few decades, mats were used to cover floors, walls, windows and ceilings of houses in Gilan province. In addition to being beautiful decorations, mats helped absorb humidity as well, Mehr News Agency reported.
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’Abkenar’ mat, woven by women, was very popular in Gilan in the not too distant past. Mats were used in almost all houses in the northern province and housewives washed them twice a year: at the beginning of spring and fall.
In the past, many women of Gilan made mats in addition to their daily housework for earning extra money.
History books recall that the art of mat weaving flourished in Anzali to an extent that one of the famous mat merchants in Ghazian had men and women from 150 families weaving mats for him. However, following improvement in standards of living, mats were gradually replaced by machine-made carpets. Consequently, mat-weavers chose to weave hats and baskets instead of floor coverings and handicrafts.
Officials also did not do much to improve the situation and handmade mats are on the verge of becoming a thing of the past.
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A handicraft merchant in Rasht, Mohammad Hosseini, lamented the fact that at present, rarely anybody wants to buy mats and those who are interested mats cannot find them.
Only a few mat-weavers are alive. Today, people prefer luxurious synthetic materials and as far as mat handicrafts are involved they prefer only hats and baskets.
He emphasized that since the youth do not slow any interest in learning the art of mat weaving, there are not many who know this art.
A mat-weaver, Morteza Tajaddod, said, “Everything is a function of the law of supply and demand. When there are no customers and nobody supports us, we cannot continue. Until a few years ago, a significant number of mat-weavers in Gilan produced baskets and hats. However, following the unfettered import of Chinese handicrafts and decline in demand, the number of mat-weavers also decreased.
Preservation
Tajaddod stressed that the art of mat weaving should be preserved by teaching it to the youth.
Another mat-weaver, Fatemeh Rajabi said, “I learned this art from my mother. Mats were mostly used as floor coverings and weaving mat baskets and hats was a secondary consideration. Since in recent years there was not much demand for mat floor coverings, I focused on weaving baskets, hats and silverware covers, and weave floor coverings when I receive an order.
She noted that mats are also used as a covering for the trunk of automobiles and tables.
Revival
A resident of one of the villages of Bijar, Safar Moradi, said, “Mat weaving is an art that could fill the leisure time of women, but at present it’s neglected.“
He cited the spread of automation and technological advances as the main reasons for the youth’s lack of interest in learning the art of mat weaving.
“In order to revive this handicraft, the production and sale of mats should be facilitated so that the youth see more incentives in learning mat weaving,“ he said.
Another handicraft expert maintained that even if mat weaving is on the decline, officials are obliged to adopt policies to preserve this art.
Maryam Tavallaei added that public awareness, supporting producers and holding exhibitions can help revive the art of mat weaving.
Portuguese Appreciate ’Flying Carpet’
Portuguese Appreciate ’Flying Carpet’
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| Iranian hand-woven carpets |
A joint production of Iran and Portugal, the documentary is themed on Persian hand-woven carpet.
Speaking at the event, Iranian Ambassador to Portugal, Rasoul Sahabi said, “The film is an influential and unique work about the Persian carpet.“
He expressed hope that Persian rugs will gain their due status after an international debut of the documentary, Fars News Agency reported.
The film’s director Juan Mario Girlo, head of Portugal Directors’ Society, and Houman Atyabi, the film’s producer also spoke at the event.
Commenting on the production process, Atyabi said, “The documentary was produced in four stages. We conducted research in the first two stages which began in 2006 in Shiraz, Isfahan, Kashan and Tehran.“
He added that a Portuguese team undertook the third stage in that country, while the final stage, which dealt with the connection between carpet designs and psychology, was completed in Sigmund Freud’s house in London. Freud was an Austrian physician who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology.
“The final section also features the connection between Persian carpet and western culture,“ he further said.
Atyabi pointed out that the film’s main feature is that is looks at Iranian carpet form a western perspective and successfully interacts with the foreign audience.
Commenting on technical aspects of the film, he said, “We also sought the views of experts of hand-woven carpet, and hope the film would serve as a reference in the history of Iran’s carpet.“
Persian carpet is not just a handicraft, however, it is a unique art which should be dealt with at an international level, he concluded.
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