Interwoven Installation/Performance

Feb 18th to March 8th, 2019, Aga Khan Museum 

‘Interwoven’ invites visitors to have their stories woven into a traditional Iranian rug, symbolizing the coming together of humanity in harmony during a 3 weeks performance. By selecting the colour of their yarn, visitors reaffirm both their unique individuality and their trusting commitment to the whole – a powerful message for our world today.

Interwoven is a conceptual, narrative-based performance—an installation that aims to visually and symbolically connect various narratives.

The Bakhtiari Tribes are one of the indigenous, nomadic tribes in Iran, and they have been weaving rugs for export since the early 19th century. A mostly female-run practice, these specific woven rugs are known as Gabbeh—crafted in wool and simple in geometry.

These tribal weavers, akin to painters, tell stories. They often depict a landscape, a fable, a scene or even convey an emotion. Most commonly, the final Gabbeh is

asymmetric, featuring figures and symbols similar to a two-dimensional illustration. It is this subjective process that renders a Gabbeh to be a visual tale.

Hajar Moradi, whose ancestors come from the Bakhtiari tribe of Iran, has regressed back in her history, learning this intricate craft and weaving it into her visual, contemporary practice.

More than 2500 people have participated in this interactive piece. More than 2500 stories are interwoven to shape this inclusive visual narrative.

Curator: Sanam Samanian