Contemporary Abstract Viscose and Wool Carpets
Contemporary Abstract Viscose and Wool Carpets
Carpet weaving has expanded far beyond the usual Oriental rug patterns, field/border distinction, materials, and saturated colors. Indian weavers have taken the lead in using viscose silk for accents and larger tonal areas. The contrast between wholly matte wool and abrashed (natural color variation) tonally mixed viscose silk is something entirely innovative unlike the obvious wool-cotton-silk contrasts on traditional carpets. Light, light, light is a basic trend. Another modern feature has been the avoidance of the border, replaced by an abstract painterly pattern of droplets, strokes, dots, drips and flows. The influence of Modernists such as Jackson Pollack is never disguised. The pattern flows or moves unrestricted to the edge.
In this example, the color flows have an almost amoebic character, helped by the carving separating the individual tones. The result is a nearly fluid movement across the carpet, in a cartographic or stratigraphic manner. Contrasts with the subtle vertical striation which mixes ecru with darker dots and speckles. The carving between colors was originally a Chinese technique, imitating the relief produced by the brown-black outline corrosion on Persian, Turkish and Caucasian rugs. Here the contouring enhances the fluid character of the randomly dropped motives. Although the palette is nominally restricted, with ecru, royal blue and silver-grey, each color is in fact quite complex with innumerable variations, even within individual knots. The subtle striation adds another background variation. The striated effect is never repeated and never takes on a mechanical character. The weave is medium-coarse on a cotton foundation, with a medium-short pile. The abstract pattern makes it entirely suitable for the most contempo décor and it even works with eclectic mixes of the alarmingly new and the bold traditional. Available in standard sizes 8 by 10, 9 by 12 and 10 by 14. Special orders accommodated.