Moroccan Rug Collaboration with Artist Tina Umer
Dec 5, 2021
This last year we worked with Slovenian artist Tina Umer on her "Gone Clicking" conceptual art project. The first installment of this project worked with embroidery, with the idea of replicating the image of beauty and entertainment items to, "take an object from this chaos, give it a different life, and liberate it from circulation and multiplication." Continuing with this theme, we helped Umer commission a series of Moroccan flatweave rugs based on images of household commodities sent to the weavers.
Umer eloquently explains the purpose of having these images reproduced by hand on her website:
“A 2021 variation of the project Gone Clicking in form of comissioned woolen rugs. The artisans recieved images to kilim flat weave and did their own selection of the ones that were more suitable. The final results are therefore changed through human labour, presenting different forms of human-made glitches, transforming the images of the contemporary consumerist beauty objects through traditional craftmanship, connecting the old and the new silk road.”
If you look at the side-by-side images below, in some cases, the images of the rugs vary greatly from the original images. We anticipated this might occur, as the commissioned pieces were meant to be made as flatweave kilims. Generally speaking, in order to get the most accurate rendition of a design, we always recommend that the rug be made as a pile rug. That way, each individual piece of wool is hand-knotted on the loom and the rug becomes more of a pointillist canvas for the original design.
Instead of shying away from the potential messiness of the project, Tina leaned in. She understood what the outcome might look like and was invested in the process.
The pleasure was all ours! We love working with artists and designers who understand that commissioning rugs is a process in which we put our art through a folk art lens.
As you look at these images, we invite you to let go of your expectation for precision. Instead, we invite you to revel in the cross-cultural conversation that happens between artist and artisans, in which we interpret these modern-day consumer objects through the ancient craft of weaving.
With the "Gone Clicking" series, Tina Umer implores her audience to consider these questions:
"How are these objects of need and desire even seen, when we know our attitude towards the planet needs to be changed here and now? Is not the structure of the online marketing and post-capitalist object the true piece of art here?"
We are so grateful to Tina for having us be apart of this project and these conversations. Click the button below to read more about the 2021 installment of this art series:
"Gone 2021" Exhibit
You can also follow this link to learn more about the thought-process behind the entire project and about the original "Gone Clicking" exhibit:
"Gone Clicking" 2018
Kantara will definitely be collaborating with more artists in the new year, so stay tuned for more completely unique, one-of-a-kind Moroccan rugs highlighting contemporary art! In the meantime, check out the following gallery for more from our collaboration with Tina:
Recent Rug Journal articles
Moroccan Rug Care
We always get asked -- how do I take care of my Moroccan rug? With their unique designs, rich colors, and beautiful textures, it can be daunting to figure out how exactly to clean them. That's why we put this guide together.
View Details
Next: How long to stay in Morocco and fit it all in
Dunes or no Dunes? How long should I spend in Morocco? And other questions to ask yourself when planning the itinerary for your trip to Morocco.
View Details
So you want to ride camels in Morocco? Here's how.
If you're planning your trip to Morocco, you've probably already considered if you want to go on a camel trek. But there's still a question of where. This article describes the two main desert locations - Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga.
View Details
