The International Product Design Awards
The business of design awards is a tricky one at best. Anyone foolish enough to considerer organizing such a spectacle must be aware of the …
The business of design awards is a tricky one at best. Anyone foolish enough to considerer organizing such a spectacle must be aware of the …
For the entirety of my life, including but not necessarily limited to my career in the world of rugs, the position of the United States toward Iran has shifted numerous times. Waffling somewhere between a cozy unorthodox trade arrangement leading to unpunished imperialistic hubris (Iran-Contra) and the ostracization of an all-of-sudden-we-cannot-talk-to-you-because-lame-reason now and then pariah State, the treatment of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the West can best be described as a school yard pissing contest where the later wins because it has managed to curtail the supply of fluids to the former. The Iranian embargo has done far more to foment resentment toward the West than to encourage popular (read: acceptable to the West) change, and overall has been decidedly unkind to the people of Iran and by extension the Iranian carpet weaving industry. With the recent announcement of the deal struck between Western powers and the Government of Iran however, it once again appears as though trade of Iranian made carpets will resume. Rug and Carpet dealers rejoice!
It was Tuesday, 28 April 2015 and I was reading The Facebook as it was originally called, checking in on the musings, rants, political and …
Photorealistic designs in rug production is not a new concept, but it is one that is enjoying popularity mostly due to, in my opinion, advancements in technology and not great artistic or creative merit. An iconic photograph, of an iconic building, in an iconic city. That’s great. Let’s “design” a rug. I’ll just desaturate the image, drop it into the rug graphing software of your choosing, maybe pick the colours, but likely let the computer, and viola! I’m a designer. Now I’ve heard Mr. Irwin did not design this rug, but that is neither here nor there. He is passing this bunkum off as design and frankly it is not. Don’t believe me? That’s fine, I believe you to be wrong. That notwithstanding, it is a fantastic technical achievement in rug construction, but it might as well be a screenprinted design on a cotton chenille machine woven rug. It’s that stupid of a concept and it is insulting to think that people with real taste and style would appreciate, let along purchase such a rug. It’s pretending to be iconic by borrowing provenance and anything else it can from both its origins and the exceptional skill of those who wove it. It’s an affront to taste (good or bad) and we need not ever speak of this again, but of course we will, because on the other hand… .
Last night while I was reading the current issue of COVER Magazine on the iPad I commented aloud that “It was actually very nice.” to …
As I have already beaten the Copyright horse to its near death I will not belabour the point too much today, and in fact I only mention it again as I received the lamest of emails imaginable. Whether the author of the email is authentic in her intent, or is merely on a fishing expedition (for The Rug Company or otherwise) to see if I will name names and offer suggestions is not of any consequence to my response. Here is her email followed by my public reply: she did not get a private reply.
Gloria Gaynor’s disco hit “I will survive” has always been somewhat of an anthem for me and my people (and by my people I mean …
What a glorious long weekend! I was most fortunate this year, due in no small part to my expat dual American-Canadian status, to be able …
I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey, one that begins with The Ruggist going on record and saying that …
“Whom are we to judge?” – Unnamed colleague/acquaintance of “The Ruggist”* The answer to that question is just as complicated and convoluted as the business …
In a second (odd how few people ever promote that something is the second…), the Ruggist again answers a question that was posed by an …
Part I Introduction In sitting down to write this post I was and still am concerned with the correct tone and approach to take. While …
It’s now been a week since my rushed departure from Metro Market Week (I had to return home on Wednesday afternoon for a meeting on …
I was forwarded an email this morning that at first made me laugh, then on further consideration made me smile with astonished envy. Richard Habib …