21/10/2016 — couleurblind

Colors of the desert

Visited last week the exhibition “Couleurs désert” at the Zurich Museum Bellerive and loved all the textiles, the story of the weavers and the couleurful carpets they had in their rooms. Out of materials that have served their purpose they create a new kind of applied art: in the Moroccan Sahara the women of a Berber tribe use wool from old pullovers to weave carpets, blankets and cushions of high design quality. Since the 1980s these talented weavers have opened up a unique world of forms and couleurs by creatively examining traditional handcraft and employing a highly individual style. The exhibition shows the creations of the women from the Aït Khebbach tribe for the first time outside the Moroccan desert. It is not only the aesthetics and couleurs of the pieces presented that are amazing, but also their contemporary quality. In addition, a Berber tent, the weaver’s stories, and photo portraits of them offer insights into handcraft and this traditional way of life.