Punk, personal, audacious, one-of-a-kind. In palette and motif it is almost confrontational, but gesture and mood elevate it to art. As is true of many Berber rugs, conventional beauty is not the point. There is magic in color and patterns that overwhelm. They are thought to ward off the evil eye and bring life-force to an often severe landscape. Here, by luck, they also create graphic beauty. A chain of vertebrae run the length of the piece, knotted in lipstick red, true black, and the palest faded lemon. Loosely woven on a rag ground, the pile lies flat and leaves slight vertical striping. Where the rug has worn, this becomes more pronounced and you are able to see some of the details of the rag base, from silky blue ribbons to silver threads and olive green wool. Soft touches, but only touches. They show technique and ingenuity, but they can’t detract from the overall boldness.

MATERIAL – Wool, cotton, and recycled rags

DIMENSIONS – 11'9" by 3'9" (measurement without fringe) 

ORIGIN – Vintage Azilal, High Atlas

Shown with souk stool in white.