February 2019 Interview with Voyage LA
"The language and the logistics of traveling alone in Morocco as a single woman have not always been the easiest, but with time they have become some of the highlights of my visits to Morocco."
"From living in communal homes with families in Senegal to working with Morocco’s female weavers in the sleepiest of towns, Alia Kate is a pioneering force. Travel for her is about gaining new perspectives and learning more about how people live in unity with those around them."
Alia Kate joins other designers at an Apartment Therapy convening where she presents about Kantara, her work with artisans in Morocco.
"By paying the artisans a living wage, presenting quality control workshops, and creating a market for the lesser-known Moroccan weaving styles in the United States, I hope to demonstrate that their craft can be lucrative and appreciated when it is most authentic."
Alia Kate presents at the inaugural PechaKucha Brooklyn event at Dumbo's Galapagos Art Space. With 20 slides and 20 seconds a slide, Alia explores Moroccan rugs, the stories woven into their fibers, and the women weavers who create them.
Watch hereOver the years, Alia Kate has teamed up with artists, curators, and institutions to present Kantara through a lens of art and education. These exhibitions have appeared in everything from galleries and museums, to schools and community centers. Kantara has either contributed to or conceived of the following key exhibitions.
Kantara helped consult on the design and implementation of the Children's Museum of Manhattan's groundbreaking exhibit. The artisans we work with contributed all of the rugs that appeared in the Moroccan rug bazaar.
Opening February 2014, curated by Julian Jimarez Howard, this exhibit pairs four contemporary women artists with a selection of contemporary Moroccan rugs. Each contemporary artist displays their own unique approach to working with textiles.
