CulturalxCollabs: Fragment No. 79 highlighted © Museum für Islamische Kunst, Heiner BüldCulturalxCollabs: Fragment No. 79 highlighted © Museum für Islamische Kunst, Heiner Büld

Cultural x Collabs - Weaving the Future

Fragment No. 79

100 Fragment Journeys

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 Waref Abu Quba

When Fragment #79 of the historic Caucasian Dragon Carpet arrived at my studio, it felt like a beautiful collision of my art and my heritage. The Museum for Islamic Art had reached out to me after discovering my digital series, "For the Love of Carpets," where I use animation to bring woven carpets to life.

This fascination goes all the way back to my childhood in Syria, where almost every household has these beautiful carpets woven into daily life and family memories. When I was a kid, I used to spend hours staring at them, drawing the faces of superheroes and villains inspired by the shapes I saw hiding in their intricate patterns. When I moved to Germany in 2014 because of the war in Syria, one of the first things I did was buy a Persian style carpet. I needed that tactile piece of heritage to anchor me in my new home.

Holding a physical piece of the Dragon Carpet in my hands inspired me to create three new video artworks. Each one approaches the fragment differently through animation, exploring the themes of memory, repetition and reconstruction.

Fragment #79 - Video "79s"

Healing





This video is a contemplative act of digital restoration. The original 17th-century Dragon Carpet suffered severe damage during World War II. We are left with a complete black-and-white photograph from before the war, and the surviving, colorful, but destroyed fragments from after. In this time-lapse, I realigned the surviving color fragments over the pre-war archival image, utilizing AI to colorize and bridge the gaps. The result is not a claim of historical restoration, but an artistic reflection on memory, loss, and the desire to see wholeness again.






Handover of fragment #79






Now, it is time to pass the fragment onward. I have nominated my dear friend and fellow artist, Anouschka Sarafzade. We are both part of the Verein Allmendina, a collaborative community project focused on art, ecology, and sustainable living. I know Anouschka will find a profound way to weave the history of this carpet into her forward looking vision of nature and community.






The journey begins...

...with Forough & Sahar Sodoudi of the Dr & Dr Culture and Food Lab in Berlin

Fragment #79 was from the summer of 2024 until May 2025 our guest at the Dr & Dr Culture and Food Lab in Berlin. We, Sahar and Forough Sodoudi, are both scientist (Atmospheric physics and Geophysics) and after many years of teaching, research, and research management, we decided to change our lives and present our culture. The motivation behind this was that Persian culture is often hidden behind politics and religion, and its fascinating aspects are not well represented in Germany. Therefore, we left our academic positions and created the Culture and Food Lab in 2019 to share finesses of the Persian culture.

Our food lab is a vibrant space dedicated to celebrating Persian culture through authentic cuisine and cultural exchange. We strive to create meaningful experiences that highlight the richness and hospitality of Persian traditions. 

Food brings people together and enables cultural exchange, therefore we offer cook events, private fine dining persian style, catering, cultural events and culinary cultural trips to Middle East.

The pictures show some of the events with fragment #79









Fragment #79 experienced a private dining and was on the drink bar, next to our Persian ingredients Sekanjebin, rose water and Egyptian willow, which are used for our special long drinks.


















One of our guests made Persian Zereshk Polo (Rice including Saffron crust, topped with caramelized barberries and pistachios) during a cook event.















A group of international lawyers from a company visited us for a cultural cook event and we shared with them the story of the fragment. They cooked with us and we talked about different middle eastern cultures, as some of them spent some years in Middle East.
















A table of finger food presented by Dr & Dr at Ingrid and Thomas Jochheim‘s apartment in Berlin. The apartment is filled with beautiful artworks, reflecting their passion as art collectors.









Advanced chemistry students from Eckener High School visited us for a cooking class. We explored the chemical processes involved in Persian cooking and discussed the importance of food as a cultural element. The students came from various countries, making it a truly enriching cultural exchange.







A private fine dining setting at the Dr & Dr Culture and Food Lab for the spring reception. The table is adorned with Fragment #79, fresh spring flowers, small watermelons, and delicate candlelight. Suspended birdcages above evoke themes of freedom and Middle Eastern tradition, while the brick wall behind—featuring Persian calligraphy that reads ‘Love flows here’—frames the scene with warmth and cultural depth. A celebration of Persian hospitality in full bloom.














Fragment #79 rests on our Haftsin table, the heart of the Norouz celebration at the Dr & Dr Culture and Food Lab. Norouz, the Persian New Year, marks the arrival of spring and is deeply rooted in themes of renewal and hope. The Haftsin table features at least seven symbolic items, each beginning with the letter ‘S’ in Persian—such as ‘sib’ (apple), ‘sir’ (garlic), and ‘sabzeh’ (sprouted greens)—representing health, rebirth, beauty, and prosperity. Surrounded by candles, hyacinths, and traditional elements, this table reflects both the spirit of the season and the richness of Persian cultural heritage.








An unforgettable 86th birthday celebration at the Dr & Dr Culture and Food Lab, beautifully combined with a hands-on cooking session. Surrounded by wonderful, cultivated guests with rich and valuable life experience, we shared not only Persian flavors but also meaningful conversations and cultural exchange. The presence of Fragment #79 added a symbolic layer to the gathering, reflecting our shared values of memory, hospitality, and human connection. A day filled with laughter, learning, and lasting impressions.

CulturalxCollabs: Fragment No. 79 © Museum für Islamische Kunst, Heiner Büld

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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

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.

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.

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?