JJ Valaya has put up his private collection of carpets which he had sourced from the exotic regions of Caucasus and Samarkand
A carpet has been the most prized possession of a nomad, something that can be easily folded, transported and displayed anywhere. Every carpet carries a long history within itself, the memories of forgotten migrations that lived centuries ago, like a revelation of unseen aspects of the universe.
Narrating such stories, eminent designer JJ Valaya recently displayed his thirty-year-old carpet collection at The Home of the Traveler.
“In our ongoing quest to curate all things beautiful and rare, I have presented this private collection of over 30 years. I believe that it has such a stunning memory of our past that will make the present both, more romantic and additionally evolved,” Valaya said.
There are carpets and textiles from Caucasus and Samarkand. They are crafted from wool and are available in interesting colour combinations like oxidised red, green, blue, brown, white, beige, indigo and yellow.
The collectors have always been drawn to tribal designs from all over the world because the boldness of design is very close to the artists and travellers of the 18th and 19th centuries represent the world in a magical way, rendering human emotions in captivating visual patterns. The much renowned works of these anonymous weavers of the Caucasus are a part of the decorative arts and crafts, demanding attention from all curators, collectors and connoisseurs.
The Home of the Traveler has proposed a new approach to this collection in which Rothko, Mondrian or Malevich can express their feelings in a similar way like that of a Turkmen, Kurdish or luri tribeswoman, thus providing a link between two different worlds. The underlying message of the offering is subtly mythic as the stories that sculpt and mould the charisma of the various carpets are put together by the knowledge of spiritualism, civilisation and adventure. Each product has a character, narrative and a piece of history. The collection is on display till June 5.