Artist

The art of carpets has always been closely linked to that of the miniaturist, and that tradition has been inherited by the next generation of Iranian artists who are currently enjoying a growing interest in Iranian contemporary art. Some of the greatest living Iranian artists of the 20th century, including Reza Derakshani (left), Parviz Tanavoli and Mohammad Ehsai, have used rugs as a medium in which to express their creative impulses. By using the sculptural quality of the pile, referring to the cultural significance of the carpet within Iran and highlighting the unique place that carpets occupy within all strata of Iranian society, contemporary artists are again renewing the relevance of the Iranian carpet within Iran and to the outside world. It is interesting to note that the elevation of the rug from the floor to the wall helps to promote the rug as an art object rather than a floor covering. While the composition of a well-known artist helps this promotion, the work of many unknown artists or weavers still remains to be discovered.
‘Some of the greatest living Iranian artists of the 20th century have used rugs as a medium’

Bibliography

1. Iran National Carpet Center