Iwan Maktabi Collection
40000 Ghom Silk Fine-TAKHT JAMCHID-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
301 x 202 cm (118 1/2 x 79 1/2 in.)
IWM0030
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk ASHKEYOUN Green-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
244 x 175 cm (96 1/8 x 68 7/8 in.)
IWM0033
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk ASHKEYOUN-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
202 x 139 cm (79 1/2 x 54 3/4 in.)
IWM0034
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk KASHI ZADEH-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
243 x 243 cm (95 5/8 x 95 5/8 in.)
IWM0031
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk KASHI ZADEH-Shawl-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
265 x 170 cm (104 3/8 x 66 7/8 in.)
IWM0032
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk ZHABIHI Purple-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
197 x 130 cm (77 1/2 x 51 1/8 in.)
IWM0035
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib, 2012
184 x 136 cm (72 1/2 x 53 1/2 in.)
IWM0009
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Black & White Squares, 2012
402 x 200 cm (158 1/4 x 78 3/4 in.)
IWM0025
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Black & White Stripes, 2012
423 x 211 cm (166 1/2 x 83 1/8 in.)
IWM0013
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib DJO Kelim Brown & Blue, 2012
297 x 265 cm (116 7/8 x 104 3/8 in.)
IWM0016
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Double Face/Fine, 2012
331 x 173 cm (130 3/8 x 68 1/8 in.)
IWM0014
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib IKAT Black & White, 2012
379 x 279 cm (149 1/4 x 109 7/8 in.)
IWM0022
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib IKAT Red & Brown, 2012
403 x 260 cm (158 5/8 x 102 3/8 in.)
IWM0023
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib IKAT Red & Brown, 2012
404 x 265 cm (159 x 104 3/8 in.)
IWM0029
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar, 2012
153 x 135 cm (60 1/4 x 53 1/8 in.)
IWM0003
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar, 2012
190 x 130 cm (74 3/4 x 51 1/8 in.)
IWM0007
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar District, 2012
164 x 144 cm (64 5/8 x 56 3/4 in.)
IWM0004
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar District, 2012
395 x 278 cm (155 1/2 x 109 1/2 in.)
IWM0015
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar District, 2012
362 x 281 cm (142 1/2 x 110 5/8 in.)
IWM0024
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Mohammed Abad District, 2012
212 x 135 cm (83 1/2 x 53 1/8 in.)
IWM0002
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Red & Brown, 2012
274 x 188 cm (107 7/8 x 74 in.)
IWM0017
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Two Face, Blue & Red, 2012
406 x 216 cm (159 7/8 x 85 in.)
IWM0027
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yaneh SAR District, 2012
377 x 215 cm (148 3/8 x 84 5/8 in.)
IWM0021
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yaneh SAR District, 2012
405 x 204 cm (159 1/2 x 80 3/8 in.)
IWM0028
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yanneh SAR District, 2012
142 x 137 cm (55 7/8 x 53 7/8 in.)
IWM0000
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yesneh SAR District, 2012
136 x 135 cm (53 1/2 x 53 1/8 in.)
IWM0012
Iwan Maktabi Collection
40000 Ghom Silk Fine-TAKHT JAMCHID-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
301 x 202 cm (118 1/2 x 79 1/2 in.)
IWM0030
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk ASHKEYOUN Green-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
244 x 175 cm (96 1/8 x 68 7/8 in.)
IWM0033
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk ASHKEYOUN-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
202 x 139 cm (79 1/2 x 54 3/4 in.)
IWM0034
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk KASHI ZADEH-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
243 x 243 cm (95 5/8 x 95 5/8 in.)
IWM0031
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk KASHI ZADEH-Shawl-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
265 x 170 cm (104 3/8 x 66 7/8 in.)
IWM0032
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Ghom Silk ZHABIHI Purple-Iran, 2012
Silk Carpet
197 x 130 cm (77 1/2 x 51 1/8 in.)
IWM0035
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib, 2012
184 x 136 cm (72 1/2 x 53 1/2 in.)
IWM0009
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Black & White Squares, 2012
402 x 200 cm (158 1/4 x 78 3/4 in.)
IWM0025
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Black & White Stripes, 2012
423 x 211 cm (166 1/2 x 83 1/8 in.)
IWM0013
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib DJO Kelim Brown & Blue, 2012
297 x 265 cm (116 7/8 x 104 3/8 in.)
IWM0016
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Double Face/Fine, 2012
331 x 173 cm (130 3/8 x 68 1/8 in.)
IWM0014
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib IKAT Black & White, 2012
379 x 279 cm (149 1/4 x 109 7/8 in.)
IWM0022
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib IKAT Red & Brown, 2012
403 x 260 cm (158 5/8 x 102 3/8 in.)
IWM0023
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib IKAT Red & Brown, 2012
404 x 265 cm (159 x 104 3/8 in.)
IWM0029
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar, 2012
153 x 135 cm (60 1/4 x 53 1/8 in.)
IWM0003
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar, 2012
190 x 130 cm (74 3/4 x 51 1/8 in.)
IWM0007
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar District, 2012
164 x 144 cm (64 5/8 x 56 3/4 in.)
IWM0004
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar District, 2012
395 x 278 cm (155 1/2 x 109 1/2 in.)
IWM0015
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Kiasar District, 2012
362 x 281 cm (142 1/2 x 110 5/8 in.)
IWM0024
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Mohammed Abad District, 2012
212 x 135 cm (83 1/2 x 53 1/8 in.)
IWM0002
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Red & Brown, 2012
274 x 188 cm (107 7/8 x 74 in.)
IWM0017
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Two Face, Blue & Red, 2012
406 x 216 cm (159 7/8 x 85 in.)
IWM0027
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yaneh SAR District, 2012
377 x 215 cm (148 3/8 x 84 5/8 in.)
IWM0021
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yaneh SAR District, 2012
405 x 204 cm (159 1/2 x 80 3/8 in.)
IWM0028
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yanneh SAR District, 2012
142 x 137 cm (55 7/8 x 53 7/8 in.)
IWM0000
Iwan Maktabi Collection
Mazandaran Hezarjerib Yesneh SAR District, 2012
136 x 135 cm (53 1/2 x 53 1/8 in.)
IWM0012
Undiscovered Minimalism: Mazandaran Kilim
Opening: November 13 , 2012 (7:30 PM- 10:00 PM)
In between the Caspian Sea and the Alborz mountains, the Mazandaran area hides little known treasures of Persia. Werner Weber, a Zurich based Oriental carpet dealer, first visited the Mazandaran area in northern Iran in the mid-1990s. In remote villages in the Hezar-jerib area, he and his colleagues discovered powerfully expressive heirloom kilims with ‘minimalist’ abstract designs unlike any others known in the trade.
These antique carpets hold colors and patterns that evoke modern painting and architecture of the West. The resemblance between the Iranian kilims and Western art are completely coincidental. It is extraordinary that these kilims, created by Persian women in their rural communities, could become such sophisticated textiles reminiscent of works by modern day artists. Heinz Meyer, an art expert, compares the Kilims to contemporary artworks of Mark Rothko, Ad Reinhardt, and Barnett Newman.
The Mazandaran weaves make an immediate impression due to the diversity of their forms and colors. The coloration of the pieces is generally typified by the softness of the colors, due to the frequent linking of related hues. The main palette of the kilims usually compromises a range of brown, red, and beige shades. However, in some pieces contrasting colors are also used next to one another, without disturbing the harmony of the overall image. The impression of spontaneity given by the shapes and colors of the kilims begs the question as to whether they are due to an uncontrived or deliberate simplicity, or whether they result from the perfection of an abstract language form. The explanations are debatable and the opinions vary.
It seems serendipitous that the discovery of the Mazandaran kilims comes at a time when the world is becoming increasingly fascinated with Middle Eastern contemporary art. Discovering this new look in carpets that resembles contemporary minimalism also relates to today’s minimalistic trend in interior design.
“In this exhibition, we encourage the visitor not only to tune into the secret language of tribal woven art, but also to think outside the domain of ethnography, in an attempt to capture the underlying elements that connect ‘Textile Art’ to simply ‘Art’” - Mohamad A. Maktabi.
Undiscovered Minimalism: The Mazandaran Kilims
November 13-22, 2012
Athr Gallery - Jeddah
In collaboration with Iwan Maktabi