Forest showcases the hand-woven work of Iranian rug maker Edelgrund through an evocative, visual and tactile experience. Conceptually designed by Italian designer Paolo Giordano and the late Chinese product designer Ouwen Mori, the installation was originally presented during Milan Design Week 2021 at Palazzo Litta. Giordano and Mori’s exploration of original Edelgrund designs is expressed through a series of eighteen suspended tapestries, revealing the intricacies of the weaving process and a design language of infinite possibilities.

Edelgrund’s rugs are crafted in the homes of a small community of female artisans located in Alasht, a village in the Mazandaran province of Iran. Following time-honoured traditions, narrow wooden looms are used to weave panels about 40-50cm wide which are then carefully sewn together to create the desired rug size. The woven panels act as what Edelgrund describe as ‘a minimalist alphabet’ – a modular system from which endless design combinations are possible, just as the letters of an alphabet can coalesce in an infinite vocabulary of words.

Forest presents a new perspective on a very familiar object. Deconstructed and stripped from its usual function, the rug becomes an abstract work of art hanging in a space, allowing its handmade nature to come forward. The exhibition explores the relationship between traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design and sustainable practices, highlighting the importance of preserving inherited knowledge as a means to create designs with historical, cultural and technical value.