One matter that comes up from time to time is whether an exhibition ought to be restricted to "fresh material" - that is, stuff that hasn't previously been published. I've heard both points of view on this, and have never arrived at a very satisfactory conclusion about it myself beyond the notion that there are a few truly outstanding pieces that could be shown at every exhibition and I'd be glad to see them every time.

How will your committee handle that - since you will be the dominant personality in the group, they will surely do it whatever way you tell them to.

Regards,

Steve Price

Yes, indeedy, the issue of fresh material has come up.

For the moment we are taking a non-absolutist posture. While we would prefer to take only pieces that have not been exhibited or published elsewhere, those which have can still be considered.

There's an exceptional Kurdish horse blanket that is available...but it is currently in an exhibition and already was in the ACOR II exhibition. It's the best I've ever seen. And everyone who attends the current exhibition or the ACOR II exhibition or read the catalog of the ACOR II exhibition has seen it. But when you think about it, the piece would still be "new" to those who haven't yet seen it. And that might be 50% or more of the audience.

-Jerry-

I agree that being fresh is not a criterion that should be insisted upon. However, I doubt whether the Isberian horse blanket/cover would be new to 50% of the viewers. I think it would be new to virtually no one who has any interest in the type or in Kurdish or Persian weaving generally. In addition to your references, if memory serves, it was also in the "Discoveries" exhibition. In any event, it is hard for me to think that with all the material available that a piece, whatever its merits, that has been exhibited as often and as long as this piece deserves a place in your exhibition. Besides that, how does it fit into what you otherwise are doing?

Best, Michael

Michael, I seriously doubt that anything close to 50% of the ACOR participants would have seen (or, perhaps more important, would remember AS THEY SHOULD) Mike Isberian’s horse cover. I first saw it at Northwestern at the Discoveries exhibition, then at Isberian’s house, then at ACOR in Chicago and now again this past weekend at Minasian’s in Evanston. That’s about 4 times in roughly 18 years. But my connections to Chicago are atypical.

The percentage of ACOR registrants who are attending their first rug conference is pretty high. I seem to recall it being close to 50% in Burlingame. Few would have been at any of the public showings of the Isberian horse cover.

That being said, I agree with your analysis, Michael, and the need to develop a concept. My only advice, Jerry, would be to avoid the term “Ethnographic” again.

Determining whether a piece is fresh is a bit subjective, but I think there are a lot of fresh pieces, fresh topics and fresh approaches out there. There’s nothing wrong with a limited recirculation of exhibited material, especially when it fits into a new approach or idea.

Wendel

As for the horse blanket, I was just using that as a familiar ferinstance. Freshness is a very variable concept. Fresh for one is stale for another. That's why TV networks run re-runs all summer. The episodes are new to those who haven't seen them. Besides, those without photographic memories may well have forgotten something they saw before and welcome the opportunity to see it again.

I stand resolutely by my ephemeral estimate of almost any piece being fresh to 50% of the audience.

Now about the question of a "theme" - maybe we're getting somewhere on that. What if the theme were a commentary on what is rare and beautiful at this point in time? This could be explored in an essay that accompanies the exhibition and would compare and contrast (as they used to require on college exams) this time with previous eras of collecting.

Speculatively,

-Jerry-

I don't want to disturb your discussion, but I must admit I've gotten very curious about the above mentioned horse blanket... might one of you have a picture of it available?

Thankful regards,

Patricia

I just today saw a photo of it in an exhibition book "Discoveries From Kurdish Looms" I think, held at the Minasian gallery in Evanston in 1983.
I do not own the book, but found a copy in a local college library. The horse blanket is everything Jerry has been talking about; bright, saturated colors, clear, striking striped design, rare and beautiful.

Support your local libraries,

Patrick Weiler

Patrick Weiler

If the url doesn't come up as a link, go to Jerry's post; the link works well there

They are in my album at

\ http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292262727

The horse blanket can be seen in splendid isolation if you go to image #15.

Cordially,

-Jerry-

The Isberian horse cover was exhibited, if memory serves, at the 1983 exhibition called Discoveries From Kurdish Looms. This exhibition was not at the Minasian Gallery, I do not thik it existed then. I recall it being at the Block gallery that is/was part of nearby Northwestern University in Evanston. The book of the same title documents the exhibition.

The horse cover also appears in Mideast meets Midwest, the publication of what I recall was the 2nd American Conference on Oriental Rugs (ACOR) which was likewise in Chicago in the mid 1990s.

The horse blanket now is exhibited at Minaisan's which is in Evanston.

This vertical striped design is also known in knotted pile weavings. The Massachusetts dealer John Collins had a fantastic large carpet of this design at the last ACOR near San Francisco. Other saddle blankets are known in both knotted pile and soumak. In my opinion, the Isberian example is among the best known based on color, scale and clarity of drawing and is also in very good condition.

I am not certain I would call the colors of this blanket deeply saturated. It is harder to have such deeply saturated colors in soumaks than in knotted pile - I think. But the colors are definiately good, clear and rich. It is also a little difficult to place this weaving in context or tradition. It is not the sort of thing the typical Kurd would throw over his horse. It was probably made for a wealthy person and rarely used, perhaps ceremonial. The design is not one I would associate with Kurds traditionally though certainly it was known and popular in the environs of Bijar in the late 19th century. It probably comes out of and was used more in an urban setting than anything we might think of as tribal.

Bijar weavings have long been associated with Kurds. However, it is not clear that this is always appropriate. At a minimum, Bijar lies well outside the Kurdish heartland.

I hope this might make it easier to find a reference or add to your enjoyment of the blanket.

Michael

Thanks a lot.

Patricia

I think Michael is being too modest in not mentioning the Kurdish exhibition he organised in 1999. You can find it at:

http://www.orientalcarpets.net/Exhibition_of_kurd_rugs.htm

While I didn't see it myself,I have heard it was something to behold.

Glenn

thanks a lot for posting the link to the Kurdish exhibition.
It is fantastic to view such a lot of pictures of great rugs.

kind regards,

Rudi

Regards,

Patricia