Posted by Wendel Swan on January 25, 1999 at 19:29:42:
Dear all,
Those who are potential contributors to this Salon should re-consider the nature and scope of the discussion. I hope that John or others will correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this (or shouldn't it be) a discussion about rug design aesthetics and not about the broader topic of rug aesthetics?
Salingaros himself says that his 10-point list "should help in deciding on the merits of a carpet design, irrespective of provenance or date. Other, independent factors such as age, popularity, scarcity, and condition play a deciding role in determining the actual value of a carpet." Each of his 10 points relates solely to the design or architecture of rugs and ignores many "other factors" that are normally an integral part of any discussion about the merits of any given piece, such as:
1. Tactile qualities (including wool quality and light refraction)
2. Dye or color quality (natural v. synthetic, saturated v. pale, etc.), not merely characteristics of contrast
3. Cultural context
4. Execution
Since Salingaros has not addressed these other factors, shouldn't we confine ourselves to the not insignificant task of understanding and then assessing his principles?
Wendel