<span class="vcard">Michael Christie</span>
Michael Christie
Archive

Seminary Economics | Creative Matters

Honouring the past while remaining cognizant of the evolutionary needs of society is amongst one of the most difficult lessons one can learn, and it is what elevates the ordinary to the extra ordinary. By embracing and adapting what is and what has been, into what can and will be, one has the ability to harness creativity that spans well beyond any one person or lifetime. Adaptive re-use of architecture – either in whole or through its constituent components – is amongst one of the most beautiful ways this is accomplished, even more so with a fantastic bespoke rug that incorporates elements of the existing, to create a freshly modern – yet familiar aesthetic.

Archive

‘Quadro Celeste’ | cc-tapis

Relatively fresh on the heels of our presentation of ‘Rugthko’ comes another collection of Art wallhangings from the stylish and fashionable (rugs, carpets or otherwise) firm of cc-tapis. Designed by Studiopepe for cc-tapis for the 2016 Salone del Mobile, each of the wallhangings in this collection is evocative of an archetypical human form. By way of illustration…

Archive

‘Twilight Zone’ | Wool and Silk

‘Twilight Zone’ shown in colour ‘Denim’ (other multichromatic colourations are available) is a stunning Tibetan weave carpet that, like much of Wool and Silk’s work is irresistible to the eyes. ‘The blues are amazing and I really love the geometry of the design.’ I said while browsing the images. ‘Yes..’ Erbil replies ‘but it is asymmetrical with great depth [as well].’ And then, with the almost incomprehensible warbling of an overhead announcement our beautiful respite was over and our respective journeys continued…

Archive

Carpets as Therapy | Firesun Carpets

Upon first reading of ‘The Firesun Story’ as Dena Lawrence the Artist behind their creation calls it, one can be forgiven for jumping to ill formed conclusions regarding carpet making as some form of therapy. Foremost amongst them may be the notion of entitlement one must possess to think mental woes can be healed by having artwork reproduced by people whose own problems transcend an entire range of possibilities well beyond Western realities. That is of course the simpleminded logic of today’s everything is offensive society, whereas the real meaning is far deeper and far more meaningful, if one would simply bother to look.

Archive

Rug Preview 2016 | ICFF

The 2016 installment of the venerable contemporary furnishings show ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) takes place the 14-17 May 2016 at New York City’s Javits Center. Billed by the organizers as a must see ‘high end luxury’ exhibition, this year’s show is back with a wide ranging selection of rug and carpet styles from some of North America’s (and beyond) premier brands. The Ruggist will be on hand to gauge for not only himself, but for you, which carpets stand-out and which truly live up to the luxury moniker. Here’s a peek at a just few we intend to see.

Archive

‘RUGTHKO’ | cc-tapis

The appreciation of capital ‘A’ Art is rightly very subjective, certainly not without controversy, and most definitely variable with time. What is hot, hot, hot now may be cold, cold, cold as soon as tomorrow. For me, artistic expression – in its various forms – succeeds as Art when disagreement, indifference, and lively spirited conversion dominate the discussion of the objet du jour. Take for example the fantastic irreverent and intellectual conversations presented in Episode Seven (7) of Season Two (2) of Mad Men as they discuss the recent fictional acquisition of the work of Mark Rothko.

Archive

A Couturier of Carpets | Jan Kath

I’ve long been a proponent of drawing comparisons between the world of fashion and the world of rugs and carpets; the appeal is simply too irresistible. Iconic fashion houses producing the absolute finest articles of couture clothing with degrees of customization that, to be frank, can at times be envious, contrasted against the monotony of prêt-à-porter and the one-size-fits-some downmarket world of fast fashion; if only the French had a more vulgar sounding word to convey the harshness that comes with producing inexpensive commodity quality clothing. Or do they? I digress.

Archive

Collectible or Knot: The Value of Handmade Carpets

It doesn’t take much time shopping for a handmade rug or carpet until one will encounter the phrase ‘It’s an investment.’ Usually uttered by a well-meaning salesperson in response to an inquiry regarding the relative expense of the carpet then under consideration, its nuanced meaning is quite oft left intentionally vague and unqualified.

Archive

Different Stripes | Reuber Henning

‘How many striped rugs have we seen before?’ begins REUBERHENNING’s Birgit Krah as if she was the one asking the questions. ‘Some are nice, a lot are boring, but stripes have always been fascinating to me. It’s a timeless pattern found in fashion, furniture, and art, even in nature. Never out, always in, the design remains classic and modern, conservative yet freaky all dependant upon how you wear it or [as is the case with carpets] which apartment we put it in.’

Archive

Iranian Carpet Embargo – The End!

It gives me great joy to announce the United States’ embargo and ban on the importation of Iranian produced rugs and carpets has been lifted. In accordance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 16 January 2016 certified Iran had fulfilled its initial obligations under the JCPOA and thus ‘Implementation Day’ came to pass and with it the end of the embargo. Throughout my lifetime the embargo has been enacted and rescinded on numerous occasions in various efforts to force The Islamic Republic of Iran into compliance with geopolitical ideologies we shall not again discuss; politics, religion, and all that.