Milan in April has become a firmly established fixture, where contemporary art fairs unfold in quick succession, immediately followed by Design Week. Two intensely creative weeks that increasingly find ways to move in tandem.
Within this context, Woven Forms II, jointly conceived by Amini, a high-end brand specializing in design carpets, and the New York gallery R & Company, fits seamlessly, underscoring how disciplinary boundaries are growing ever more porous and redefining the carpet as a fertile ground for artistic experimentation.
The project marks the evolution of a trajectory initiated over a decade ago. More than a mere new edition, it signals a conceptual and technical maturation that transforms the carpet into a fully fledged three-dimensional artwork. No longer confined to decoration, it emerges as an autonomous expressive language, capable of operating at the intersection of art, design, and sculpture.
Nine international artists and designers have been invited to engage with the textile medium, often far removed from their usual practices. The result is a series of original works that go beyond the simple transposition of imagery onto a surface. Instead, they arise from a profound dialogue with materials, techniques, and modes of production. The carpet thus becomes an expansive field of inquiry, where form and matter intertwine to produce singular, collectible objects.
Craftsmanship plays a crucial role. Hand-knotting traditions rooted in India and Nepal introduce a dimension of time and knowledge that stands in sharp contrast to industrial logic. Each knot, each process embodies a legacy of expertise, enabling the translation of complex artistic visions into works of exceptional quality. It is precisely this synergy between idea and technique that establishes Woven Forms II as a truly interdisciplinary laboratory.
The exhibition not only reaffirms the significance of collectible design, but also prompts a broader reflection: when art and design converge, objects shed their original function to assume a new cultural identity. In this light, the carpet is fully emancipated, becoming sculpture, textile architecture, and visual narrative. A compelling testament to how contemporary practice now thrives within the fluid space between disciplines.
