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Gund Gallery at Kenyon College

Show title: Warp: War Rugs of Afghanistan

Curator: Natalie Marsh

Warp (noun): 1. the longitudinal thread or yarn held in tension on a frame or loom; 2. a twist or distortion of the shape or form of something.
Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and continuing today, traditional Afghan rug weavers have incorporated stylized representations of political figures, Kalashnikovs, flags, maps, architectural landmarks, tanks, drones and ammunition amid colorful floral and geometric patterns; designs reflecting a reality familiar to the people of this multi-generational war-torn region. In 1971 the Italian conceptual artist Alighieri Boetti (1940-1994) began commissioning Afghan weavers to produce his now famous series of map textiles originally inspired by his collected newspaper illustrations of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War (1967). Years later, during the Soviet invasion and rise of the US-backed Mujahideen, numerous war rug artists began to reuse Boetti's visual mode in order to portray political maps of Afghanistan and neighboring regions overlain with representations of munitions, soldiers, fighter jets and historical people and events. Designs from the 2000s feature collapsing World Trade Center Towers behind peace doves and conjoined US and Afghan national flags. Still other rugs situate orderly rows and columns of identical tanks or guns enclosed within floral borders and encircled by decorative bands of bullets. Obama-era rugs have begun to include images of a new weapon: the drone. These and other iconographies are lifted from Western propaganda materials, sourced from major media outlets, and culled from personal experience. This exhibition presents a selection of rugs that simultaneously document the history of a region while standing as a complicated testament to a still viable expressive and contemporary artistic tradition impacted by unusually diverse economic and political pressures. The Gund Gallery exhibitions and programs are made possible, in part, by the Gund Gallery Board of Directors and the Ohio Arts Council.

Opened 2017-05-26 | Closed 2017-10-08

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1

Older Map Afghan War Rug (Listed as rug 1021 in Miami U show)

74 x 99 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 16

Red Cicatu Afghan War Rug (On Loan)

99 x 183 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 29

Paghman Lake Monument 1984 (listed as 1017 in Miami U show)

87 x 132 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 39

Abrash War Afghan War Rug

101 x 168 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 49

IN Pictorial War Rugs book(exhibited at Miami University Art Museum)Vertical Herati Pictorial, Large Afghan War Rug (listed as 1402 in Miami U show)

124 x 213 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 78

Two Ewer Zakini.

107 x 198 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 96

3 Large Vase, 6 Small Vase with Small Tanks

109 x 201 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 109

World Trade Center #2

61 x 81 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 137

Mario Brothers Horseman Rug Also rug ID # 57

104 x 180 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 138

Black Tank Border w/ Long Fringe and Neon Diamonds

84 x 292 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 272

1990 Dated Prayer War Rug w/Afghan Map<br><br> <a href="https://www.warrug.com/index1.php?idr=544"> Duplicate ID - More info here</a>

81 x 127 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 288

Abstract WTC 9/11 Afghan War Rug #2

61 x 74 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 395

Buried Land Mines War Rug

84 x 124 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 405

Alexander the Great Citadel Prayer War Rug with Three Helicopters

84 x 124 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 424

Green Soviet Exodus

63 x 81 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 490

(exhibited at Miami University Art Museum)Blue Tank War Rug with Women in Burqas

101 x 193 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 517

5 Tanks Brown

104 x 155 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 534

4 Ducks and 2 Palaces Tower at Jam War Rug

87 x 132 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 536

Blue War Rug with Women, Birds, and Small Tanks

87 x 140 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 544

Minaret Sajada with Figures

89 x 145 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 553

World Trade Center War Rugs

61 x 81 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 555

War on Terror War Carpet

63 x 81 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 750

Red Washed Sofreh (On Loan)

124 x 124 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 752

7 Ewer, Blues and Golds, Mid 1990s

122 x 201 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 754

Two Figure Banana Rug

107 x 193 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 757

River Landscape prayer rug, early 1980s Exhibited Miami U

91 x 162 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 760

Soviet Exodus Rug

61 x 1554 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 761

Miami U British flag Tora Bora rug

61 x 84 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 762

Orange, Red, and Blue Big Rifle War Rug

122 x 183 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 765

Vegetable Dye Handspun wool AFghan War Rug

109 x 165 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 771

Kharghai Soviet Exodus

71 x 101 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 774

(exhibited at Miami University Art Museum)Soviet Hand, Red Ground

69 x 87 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 778

Taliban Era Mashad Style World Map Rug

127 x 178 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 779

Herat Mosque with Armor

84 x 137 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 780

Small Dragon Ali Kwaja

119 x 203 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 789

Dostum Standing

61 x 71 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 796

Woman on Lion in Corner (Nigel Selection)

188 x 290 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 803

Ma'sud with Silk Foundation (On Loan)

59 x 84 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 894

Old Red Rug: Two figures pre 1989

56 x 83 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 897

(exhibited at Miami University Art Museum) Brown (washed) Saph (Runner Dimension Prayer Rug)

81 x 353 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 900

Armor Border Prayer Rug

76 x 141 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 916

Late 1980's Landscape

74 x 122 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 923

Kabul City Scene from Airport

87 x 124 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 943

Very Fine Rug with Band Imagery

87 x 148 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 948

(listed as 775 in Miami U show) Full View Minaret at Jam war rug

198 x 297 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 957

Prayer War Rug

87 x 144 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 964

Dual Columns of Tanks and Helicopters

91 x 152 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 985

Progenitor Baghlani War Rug with Autumnal Color<br> Exhibited<br> Price on Request

92 x 183 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 988

Hamid Karzai Rug (On Loan)

59 x 69 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1004

World Map Baluchi Rug with Mir Border

165 x 274 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1006

Nightvision F16 War Rug

109 x 199 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1016

Motorcycle War Rug with Horsemen

112 x 193 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1070

MIG War Rug

81 x 142 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1071

Bomb Falling on Column War Rug

94 x 130 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1074

Massoud Wagireh (weavers sample) Rug with Afghan Map

74 x 96 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1081

Ali Khwaja Pomegranate and Mosque Rug (Plate 39 Vol. 1)

190 x 287 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1085

Minbar Design Prayer Rug

132 x 208 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1089

Three Panel Herat Workshop

122 x 193 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1093

15th Century Queen Gowhar Shad Mausoleum and Minarets

101 x 201 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1107

Afghan Kazak Afghan Map War Rug - War Against Terror

117 x 123 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1109

George O'Bannon's Gul i'Birjista

114 x 178 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1112

NFS - Pink RPG War Rug

109 x 173 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1114

Mint Green Flower War Rug

94 x 135 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1127

Two Small Linked Helicopter War Rugs

30 x 69 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1131

Red AK-47 Rug with Two Helicopters and Handgun

53 x 101 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1137

Parachute Medallion War Rug

109 x 173 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1165

Long Blue Three Drone Rug With Heavy Abrash (On Loan)

92 x 150 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1166

Red, White, And Blue Reaper Drone Rug

61 x 101 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1167

White Predator Drone Rug

61 x 99 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1308

Amman Ullah Khan Rug with Silk

84 x 142 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1380

Friendship Flat Weave (Exhibited at Miami University)

127 x 193 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1382

Devils Head War Rug

99 x 152 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1386

Turkmen Sumac (exhibited at Miami University Art Museum) Formerly 26.

112 x 173 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1421

Green Amman Ullah Khan Rug

91 x 148 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1424

Pictorial Sumac

127 x 178 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1463

Double Minaret War Rug

87 x 155 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1601

Caucasian Design, so called Chechen, Afghan Rug with War Motifs

160 x 221 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1602

Vase of Flowers Sumac Rug with Helicopter Border

114 x 206 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1607

Colorful M16 Tora Bora

69 x 81 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1637

First War Rug

99 x 160 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 1700

Hajj Group Prayer Rug with Planes and Buses

168 x 282 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 2003

Diamond Shaped Medallion Herati War Rug

114 x 185 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 2017

Horsemen and Tanks (size approximate)

112 x 208 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 2023

Three Building War Rug

122 x 201 cm

War Rug shown at Exhibition

ID#: 2025

Devils Head War Rug #2

94 x 152 cm