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This fragment is part of the "CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the Future" carpet.
Through the fragment we trace the journey of the fragment owners and their collabs as they explore, experiment and creatively advance socially relevant themes. Here is the fragment as we are sending it on this three and a half-year journey.
Follow this story to observe the transformations the fragment undergoes over the course of these years...
...and on we go...
...with Aida Dzhafarova
What do a Caucasian rug and an aperitivo have in common?
Since 2012, I've lived in a small, beautiful town in southern Italy – Lecce. Here, the soft light of the setting sun turns the ancient sandstone architecture of the historic center golden, darkening the exquisite, yet so distinctive, silhouettes of bougainvillea and succulents to an engraving-like vibrant beauty. As the indescribable blue of the evening sky deepens, the streetlights, simplistically yet sincerely, pick up the sunset's baton, diligently yellowing the walls and floors of the old town, immersing you in the atmosphere of home. Lecce is a city that "sees" you; you can't get lost in it, and therefore, you can't lose yourself. And so, in Lecce, you're always at home.
Lecce, like many other Italian cities, has a well-developed and popular aperitivo tradition. An aperitivo in Lecce is a socio-cultural phenomenon, an experience of all-encompassing significance. It's not about food and drink, at least, because here it's always of excellent quality by default. It's about the joy of lively, informal meetings which unites people and embodies the real offline communication and conversation, which I think is to be extremely important now more than ever; it's always a celebration of life. Friends, friends of friends, guests of friends and friends of friends, their relatives, colleagues—indeed, anyone—gather for aperitifs in the open air of the city's many bars. People mingle with each other, and often with neighboring groups, everyone talking at the same time, laughing, sharing news, and making plans. A passing acquaintance is always invited to join the group.
Caucasian rug making is historically a collective effort among women. In almost all national cultures, women gather together for needlework. Each weaves her own lace, knits, or crochets her own piece. But a rug, like a fabric, is made together. When I received fragment #69 of the rug, I immediately wanted to share this extraordinary news with friends and acquaintances. So I took it with me to aperitifs several times. The first place was the Lido Turrisi bar in the seaside San Cataldo district of Lecce.
The second place was Marenna, located in the historic center of Lecce – a small, authentic establishment with good music, wine, authentic appetizers, a magical view of the blue sky, and the charming owner, Lidia. Lidia serves appetizers on wooden boards, creating beautiful and delicious arrangements. The carpet's palette perfectly matches the colors of typical appetizers at Marenna: the bready beige and light cream shades of puccia, frisa (a local kind of dry bread); sand and light brown colors of friselline (almost like the frisa, but smaller), almonds, the golden yellow of taralli and lupins, the red of ripe tomatoes, the pinkish red of bresaola and prosciutto, and the green – violet shades of olives, turnip greens and poppy greens.
In the mists of time, an unknown group of women gathered and wove this carpet, a fragment of a masterfully crafted copy of which was delivered to me by DHL. I like to think they were happy and lived good lives. And now we, women of the 21st century, look at the magnificent creative result of their labor, and through this fragment, our views are united and directed towards the future. A better future for everybody.
The Carpet and the Icecream
The culinary arts in Italy are one of the most rewarding, inexhaustible, and infinitely varied subjects, bringing out the best in people. And while an Italian meal traditionally begins with an aperitivo, it always ends with dessert. One of the most famous Italian desserts in the world is gelato. In our hometown of Lecce, gelato season begins in April and ends in November. A delicious gelato is an essential part of summer. My favorite gelato shop is Baldo Gelato. It's situated in the historic center of Lecce, rather close to Santa Croce Basilica—Lecce's iconic monument, with its façade lavishly inlaid with Baroque decorations—a precious sculptural fabric that celebrates the skill of the artists and the richness of faith. Baldo Gelato is a highly regarded artisanal gelato shop, often cited among the best in the city. It stands out for its attention to the quality of its ingredients and its innovative flavors giving priority to Apulian producers. Meloncella sorbet with cupeta, pumpkin gelato, Toritto almond sorbet, and other flavors (always seasonal or dedicated to traditional local holidays), a constant pursuit of excellence and new combinations that reflect the owner's creative personality, tenacity and attention to the smallest details, admiration and gratitude from customers; these are all the ingredients that transform this small local business, run by wonderful women, into a factory that produces joy and good humor. I used to go there for gelato for many years. But once I worked there for a season. Then I fell in love with this authentic and fresh gelato. Hence our collaboration was born.
milk chocolate, gelato with Olive pâté with orange variegation, salted caramel, and dark chocolate sorbet...
The geometric pattern of squares and triangles inspired me to try to recreate, if not the tapestry motif, then at least the color combination of the fragment using gelato cubes. Sandra, the owner of the gelato shop, created a 28 cm diameter icecream cake topped with chocolate gelato and a lot of 2x2 cm cubes of different types of gelato. The most suitable colors were milk chocolate, gelato with Olive pâté with orange variegation, salted caramel, and dark chocolate sorbet. To increase a reminiscent of carpet, I sprinkled with chopped chocolate biscuit and chopped pistachios between the cubes. Thus, this ice cream cake, in the tones of an ancient carpet, is a celebration of the ancient art of carpet-making, both authentic and the artisanal excellence and pursuit of innovation that are Baldo Gelato's hallmarks, which are the weft and warp of Italian craftsmanship expressed through the applied arts, but also through the culinary arts.
And whom we ate this delicious icecream dessert with you’ll know from the next story...
The journey begins...
...with Steven Yeung
It is the transmission of a culture from generation to generation. A culture that I have acquired through my family or through the society in which I grew up. My ancestors fled China during the Qing dynasty because of political instability, famine, and perhaps persecution of the Hakka minority, of which my family is a part of. After a long journey, they settled in the French Establishments of Oceania around 1870, now known as Tahiti.
A culture that has been enriched over generations through external influences such as those of France, America, and of course, Polynesia. Friendly or hostile exchanges have shaped who we are today. Our openness, adaptability, and capacity for integration depended entirely on these exchanges. This openness of mind could only work through acceptance of others, as a gesture of respect towards others.
I am part of the fourth generation on the island.
A fifth generation is already exploring new horizons and new cultures.
My culture has continued to expand since I began sharing my life with my partner, my husband, a Bavarian German, descendant of a family that has been settled since the 1400s. This relationship has once again opened the door to a new culture for me, a culture rich in its customs and dialect.
Today, we have the opportunity to share this culture with our three-year-old son, thanks to a family project with three parents, including a friend, the child’s mother.
This piece of carpet is therefore not just an object that shares a culture and history, but it is also a way of passing down our heritage and that of others to our son and to future generations. The carpet here becomes a symbol of this entire process of transmission, a symbol of the cultures that surround us and our son.
"Culture Shock" - My work of art with the carpet
And soon, this object of cultural transmission will become part of an artistic project, an element that will be integrated into one of my future paintings. Another way to transmit this story, to share our experiences, to preserve the memory of our existence, as well as our identity and even our culture - a message of hope.
Front and Back
About the Project
The Museum for Islamic Art's project, #CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the future, celebrates the transformative power of cultural exchange and the shared threads that unite us all. All the things we love, have loved and will ever love come from cultural exchange, migration and diversity, or as we like to call it #CulturalxCollabs.
100 carpet fragments, cut from a replica of the iconic dragon carpet, will travel the world (delivered by DHL). The fragments will ignite #CulturalxCollabs with co-creators, inspiring human ingenuity, fostering community and ultimately demonstrating how cultural exchange enriches all our lives.
Follow #CulturalxCollabs on Instagram as the project unfolds...
...or learn more here
Fragment Journeys
100 carpet fragments part of the "CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the Future" project. Follow their journeys through the ever changing owners' over three and a half years.
Weaving the Future
Join us on a journey with 100 carpet fragments as they travel around the world for three and a half years, finding temporary homes while bridging cultural boundaries, fostering worldwide community united by the power of human stories.
Where is the Dragon?
The star of the "CulturalxCollabs - Weaving the Future" project is a so-called Caucasian dragon carpet from the 17th century. A dragon carpet - all well and good - but: where is the dragon?
Cultural x Collabs Tutorial + FAQs
How can I upload my material? These and many other questions are answered here.
