Minneapolis Institute of Art

Carpet

Amazigh (Berber) artist

Date

about 1970

Medium

Lambswool

Culture

Amazigh (Berber)

Department

Global Contemporary Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

To some, this carpet may resemble a Robert Motherwell painting more than a “traditional” Berber rug. Known for their distinctly personal designs, the rugs of the Beni Ouarain (a subgroup of the Berber) are characterized by their neutral colors and thick, fluffy pile. They were originally made as bedspreads, the soft looped piles conforming nicely to the body to keep sleepers warm during the harsh winters in the Atlas Mountains. This particular design suggests a landscape, though not mountains. Instead, the dark blocks at the center may represent a series of kasbah, the windowless fortresses typical of Moroccan architecture. Amazigh (Berber), Morocco, Africa

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