Watch Video Highlights of “Rugged Beauty – Antique Carpets from Western Asia,” a Beautiful Exhibition in Denver

8 February 2023

“Rugs from West Asia — primarily from Iran, Turkey, and the Caucasus — are likely among the most beautiful objects ever created by humans. Perhaps it is the play of light on the piled surface, the richness of the colors from the natural plant and insect dyes, or the compositions integrating the multilayered patterns. The personal experience of beholding a beautiful rug enchants each of us in our own way” — Paul Ramsey, quoted in Don’t Miss This Local Exhibition posted in www.5280.com

Featured image at top of post: A view of a gorgeous thick piled Turkish yata which served as portable bedding in the 19th century. Image clipped from VOA video (watch video below.)

Compiled by MALIK MERCHANT
(sources hyperlinked).

With more than 40 objects on display, the exhibition Rugged Beauty: Antique Carpets from Western Asia which runs at the Denver Art Museum until May 28, 2023, opens a window into the artistic and utilitarian innovations of weavers, domestic consumption, and the cross-cultural exchanges between present-day Turkey, Iran, and the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) from the 1500s to the 1900s.

The stories in Rugged Beauty showcase the living traditions of western Asia, a vast and culturally rich region of the world. Each of the objects on display were made by hand, predominantly dyed by hand, and hand-woven using the knotted-pile weaving technique. Though the individual identities of the makers are mostly unknown, the rugs’ designs of rich colors, intricate patterns, and complex symbols reveal a deep history of trade, diplomacy, and foreign relationships.

Centuries-old weavings from the Caucasus, Iran and Turkey show the individual stories and intertwined histories of the region in a museum exhibit in the Western U.S. state of Colorado. If you are in Denver or surrounding areas, try and visit this beautiful display of magnificent rugs. The museum notes on its website that entry to the exhibition is included in general admission, which is free for everyone 18 and under every day, as well as museum members.

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WATCH VIDEO: Antique Rugs From Caucasus, Iran, Turkey Reflect History in Patterns

Produced by VOA Correspondent Scot Stearns

Centuries-old weavings from the Caucasus, Iran and Turkey show the individual stories and intertwined histories of the region in a museum exhibit in the Western U.S. state of Colorado

To watch video at source, please click VOA News – Antique Rugs From Caucasus, Iran, Turkey Reflect History in Patterns.

Date posted: February 8, 2023.

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Iran Nuclear Deal Sealed: Prayers Answered in Holy Month of Ramadan, Says President Hassan Rouhani

15 July 2015

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1. MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM HAD ADVOCATED THE PRINCIPLE OF “YES TO ENERGY, NO TO ARMS” SEVERAL YEARS AGO

Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of Shia Ismaili Muslims Photo: AKDN/Anya Campbell. Copyright.

“We are a long way from the democratization of nuclear energy. Maybe I’m naïve but I advocate another approach, which I call “positive proliferation.” The positive proliferation that I would dearly love to see happen is based on a simple principle: yes to energy, no to arms….Iran could even contribute to the worldwide removal of nuclear energy for military use. That is what I told the Iranians several years ago: “Your history is that of an intellectual nation several thousand years old which has brought to Islam all the richness of its culture and its philosophical thought. Keep following the path that is truly your own and the world will thank you for it.” — His Highness the Aga Khan. Please read complete interview by clicking on The Power of Wisdom.

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2. TRIUMPH IN DIPLOMACY

I. President Hassan Rouhani

“Today is a new chapter to work towards growth and development of our dear Iran; a day for our youth to dream again for a brighter future. Many people prayed for the negotiating team during the holy month of Ramadan; I’m privileged to announce their prayers have been answered…This agreement goes both ways. The successful implements of IranDeal can dismantle the wall of mistrust brick by brick.” — Tweets by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

“I am happy that with the 23-month nuclear talks of Iran with the world six major powers, we have today been able to reach a new point; of course the month of Ramadan has always been source of blessing and destiny making for the 11th Government…The 25th of the month of Ramadhan in the year 1392 [A.H.] was the year of taking presidential oath; the 26th of the month of Ramadhan that year was the swearing-in ceremony and today, it is the day of Iran’s success to bring the six world powers to the Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action.” — Speech Excerpt, President Rouhani, http://www.president.ir/en/

II. The Guardian, UK

“This accord, so long in the making, offers the hope that one of the world’s great civilisations might be drawn back into the international community, with untold benefits not only for Iranians but for its conflict-ravaged neighbours. The opportunity should be seized.” — Editorial excerpt, http://www.theguardian.com, UK Edition

3. THE NEGOTIATIONS

US Secretary of State

“And I finally want to express my deep respect for the serious and constructive approach that Iran’s representatives brought to our deliberations. The president of Iran, President Rouhani, had to make a difficult decision. We all know the tensions that exist. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, a tough, capable negotiator, and patriot, a man who fought every inch of the way for the things he believed, and sometimes these were heated and passionate exchanges. But he and his team, while tough, always professional, always dedicated to finding solutions to difficult problems. And we were, both of us, able to approach these negotiations with mutual respect, even when there were times of a heated discussion, I think he would agree with me at the end of every meeting we left with a smile and with a conviction that we were going to come back and continue the process. We never lost sight of the goal that an agreement could bring and the best long-term interests of all concerned” — US Secretary of State, John Kerry

4. IRANIANS CELEBRATE HISTORIC DEAL

Horns honked and flags waved here as darkness fell Tuesday and the Ramadan fast was broken as Iranians marked the nuclear deal reached between Iran and the six world powers led by the US. For the first time in years, they relished the prospect of an improved economy and reengagement with the West.

Narjes Sedaghatfar, a math teacher who voted for Rouhani but has kept expectations in check until now said, “The button has been pressed, we are beginning anew. I will be at home, and just be happy and plan for a happy future. When hope rises, that is celebration in itself.” — From reports in the Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com.

Date posted: July 15, 2015

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Haft Sin: A Navroz Tradition

20 March 2015

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To celebrate Navroz, families in Iran gather around a specially prepared holiday table to make wishes for the coming months. Items on the table refer to new life and renewal, and they are based around the number seven….Read more

PLEASE CLICK: The Beautiful Nowruz (Navroz) Tradition of Haft Sin

Conceived and created by Nurin Merchant of Ottawa, this Navroz greeting incorporates the rose and jasmine flowers which are extremely popular in Iran during the celebration of Navroz. The base of the picture shows shoots of wheat grass signifying robust evergreen health throughout the year. Image: Nurin Merchant. Copyright. Please click on image for Haft Sin.

Conceived and created by Nurin Merchant, this Navroz greeting incorporates the rose and jasmine flowers which are extremely popular in Iran during the celebration of Navroz. The base of the picture shows shoots of wheat grass signifying robust evergreen health throughout the year. Image: Nurin Merchant. Copyright. Please click on image for Haft Sin.

Date first posted: Friday, March 20, 2015.
Last updated: March 15, 2019.

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Please also click Simerg’s New Downloadable Publication: Nawruz Literary Readings, Poetry and Ginan