Qatar 365 unveils unique textiles made from golden Nephile silk and highlights the ancestral art of carpet weaving.
Beyond their usefulness and beauty, textiles can help us understand the traditions and culture of a country or region. The Qatar 365 team followed two exhibitions highlighting textiles.
Aadel Haleem first went to the Golden Spider Silk exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, which features a cape woven with the thread of the Golden Spider Silk, native to Madagascar. The masterpiece on display is unique in the world. The production and incorporation of the silk took two years and 1.2 million spiders.
The Museum of Islamic Art houses textiles from around the world, including Africa, Asia and Europe. Aadel was able to go behind the scenes and observe how Dominika Kostolníková restores the textiles before exhibiting them. She begins by studying the composition and technique of the fabric, then she carefully chooses and applies the appropriate treatment.
Finally, Laila Humairah crossed the city to Design Doha, the new biennial organized by Qatar Museum, and spoke with Maryam Omar, the creator of Weaving Poems, an exhibition dedicated to the art of carpet weaving by Afghan women. The 10-month collaboration between the artist and the weavers highlighted their unwavering commitment to preserving their ancestral craft, commanding respect and admiration.
Weaving Poems was organized by Turquoise Mountain, a non-profit organization founded by King Charles III in 2006. Initially focused on supporting artisan families in Afghanistan, the foundation has since expanded its scope to include other countries. Its mission is to preserve traditional crafts and cultural heritage threatened with disappearance.