CONTEMPORARY ART CODE
►Why did you decide to work with carpets ?
- Due to painstaking manual labour and tradition . Everything that is made by hand inspires admiration . When you look at a carpet , you feel the warmth of hands and knowledge , wisdom of life , which has been passed down from generation to generation . We have carpets from the V century BC . This is such a great story ! It is something that is inextricably linked with man and since ancient times depicts his world . Carpet was not only a symbol of wealth , position , but also an object of art . And it still remains . In the nomad culture carpets have played a special role and its birth was connected with the way of life .
And you know , since this is manual labour , I feel a connection . Before I began to draw sketches , I watched publications for a long time , got acquainted with the art of carpet , and this attracted me more and more .
At the moment , I have over 30 carpet designs . 7 carpets based on the sketches have already been created . 4 carpets were presented at the Ayu Bala exhibition at the State Museum of Oriental Art last autumn , and the audience liked them . These are carpets made in collaboration with the Persepol Carpet Studio ( Kazan ) and Guzel Mustafina ( Ufa ). Among them is The Birth of the Hero carpet , which sketch was created first . It seems that in the process of working , I was worried more than usual . The carpet is made according to the sculpture with the same name . It combines synergy of carpet weaving and bronze casting , reflecting the protection and preservation of traditions , knowledge of ancestors . The central image of the carpet is the image of a warrior and its transformation into a lion . In general , the canvas is divided into two parts . The lined rows of woolen knots form a family , a clan , a tribe , a civilization , an entire epoch . Bronze is a human shield , hoarder for this . In general , there are many symbols here .
►As a magazine publisher , I cannot think of anyone who has combined carpet art with graphics and sculpture . Where did this idea come from ( which , I ' m sure , will be picked up by other designers and artists )? Tell us about your carpet collection .
- I don ’ t remember when carpet weaving was combined with bronze . Each time my observations and acquaintance with carpets attracted me , and while doing bronze sculpture at the same time , I studied samples of carpets and history . It happened that everything united in one image . Yes , even without clear outlines , without details , but the idea was already fascinating . I felt excited . It seems to me that it is so organic that it could not be otherwise , although these are two different materials . First of all , both in carpets and in bronze I was amazed by the breath of life , their thousand-year history . Both carpets and bronze sculptures have past . I ’ m actually interested to see why wool and weaving is combined with bronze plastic , why hard needs soft , and why soft needs hard . It seems to me that this is a kind of yin and yang . The basis is that bronze is a shield of traditions , family , home and wool gives rise to this protection .
“ When you look at a carpet , you feel the warmth of hands and knowledge , wisdom of life , which has been passed down from generation to generation ...”
Some of the carpets are called Tree of Life , The Tulip- Tree Keeping the Sun , Shield , Trees-Tulips , Son , Way . All of them , like sculptures , are about time , connection between generations , life values . At the same time they are absolutely contemporary . These works are a new word in carpet weaving . I am glad that these carpets were created in cooperation with the Persepol Studio . This is something that has not been found anywhere else , which means that they have an outstanding life .
►Tell us about your cooperation with well-known brands such as Lexus , Louis Vuitton , Caparol .
- It ’ s always an interesting experience . With Lexus , we made expositions where cars and sculptures were a part of a single unit . For example , we presented an ice sculpture , which displayed the brand itself , its design , and its philosophy Takumi , the philosophy of craftsmanship , manual labour . Bronze and plaster sculptures were exhibited at Louis Vuitton . At the opening of Caparol centres , guests had the opportunity to get acquainted with my sculptures . Each brand clearly understands that it gives art to its guests , clients . Being modern , art oriented , such companies put their image at the top .
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