NERS: Alberto Levi, Primitivism and Abstraction in Persian Tribal Flatweaves (Lecture at Collins Gallery, Watertown, MA)

February Meeting: Alberto Levi on
“Primitivism and Abstraction in Persian Tribal Flatweaves”
February Meeting Details
Date: Friday,  February 5
Time: 7:30pm
Place: Collins Gallery, 694 Mount Auburn
Street, Watertown
Directions:
From Harvard Square take Mount Auburn street
west 1.5 miles.  The Collins Gallery will be on your
right, just before a sign saying “Celebrity Pizza.”  If
you get to the Arlington street  intersection you’ve
gone a little too far.
From Watertown Square take Mount Auburn street
(Rte. 16) east for 1.6 miles.  The Collins Gallery will
be on the left, just beyond the ”Celebrity Pizza” sign,
a little after you cross the major Arlington street
intersection.
You can also get there by taking the mbta bus
line 71 from Harvard or Watertown Square.
Parking: Parking lot in back of gallery (driveway is
between the gallery and the pizzeria), and on streetAt our next meeting, Alberto Levi, a well-known
scholar/dealer from Milan, Italy, will share his fascina-
tion with bold flat-woven Persian textiles in a talk on
“Primitivism and Abstraction in Persian Tribal
Flatweaves.”  The meeting will be held on February 5th
at the John Collins Gallery in Watertown.
a few years ago Alberto became enthralled with
these strong yet mysterious weavings. Many resemble
Western abstract art, and, in fact, some have even in-
spired modern artists.   The textiles were originally wo-
ven by tribeswomen as utilitarian objects.  Often parts
of dowries, they were used daily in nomadic life.
Jajims, long warp-faced flatweaves, were used to
decorate the inside of the tent by covering the storage
pile.  Perdehs were made from simple weft-faced tex-
tile panels which were individually dip-dyed in a bath of
a specific color.  These panels were then joined together,
often in dazzling combinations, for use as tent dividers.
Sofrehs, small, square-format flatweaves, were used to
store bread or as dining cloths for guests.  Many sofrehs

are almost pictorial with their bold brushstrokes of brightly

colored wool.

The Bakhtiari tribe of Western Persia used large
bags called tachehs to hold grain.  When opened flat
they are among the most visually striking of tribal tex-
tiles.  a multitude of weaving techniques were used in
their construction, some of which had no structural basis
but served only as embellishments.  The abstract motifs
formed by these embellishments may be related to the
Zoroastrian origin of the tribe and probably were amu-
lets, protecting the bag and its precious contents.
In the Mazandaran region of Northern Iran near
the Caspian Sea a group of flatwoven textiles were re-
cently discovered.  These textiles are distinguished by
uniquely primitive patterns and minimalist color combi-
nations which reflect a staggering modernism.  Alberto
will also discuss these textiles, which are the subject of a
forthcoming book.
Alberto has been studying Persian rugs and tex-
tiles for many years.  He has published a number of pa-
pers on Kurdish weavings in both Hali and Ghereh.
He has also presented papers at several icoc confer-
ences and was the Chairman of the Organizing Commit-
tee for the icoc in Italy in 1999.
Alberto always gives an enthusiastic and well-in-
formed presentation and is not to be missed.   He will
bring some examples of these very striking tribal weav-
ing to show.  Members are encouraged to bring tribal
flatweaves for show and tell.