Carpets are an important decorative art in the Tibetan tradition, serving aesthetic and practical purposes in the monastic and domestic spheres. This exhibition will present the variety of styles, motifs, and functions of carpets and illuminate everyday life in Tibet. Much of the imagery used in Tibetan decorative arts, such as auspicious symbols, geometric patterns, and real and mythical animals, is also found in Tibetan fine art. This shared visual language will be explored through complementary paintings and sculptures from the museum’s collection.
Curated by Becky Bloom
Exhibition Reading List
- Patterns of Life: The Art of Tibetan Carpets by Thomas Cole
- Dream Weavers: Textile Art from the Tibetan Plateau by Thomas Cole
- Temple Household Horseback: Rugs of the Tibetan Plateau by Diana K. Myers
- Of Wool and Loom: The Tradition of Tibetan Rugs by Kesang Tashi and Trinley Chodrak
- The Tibetan and Chinese Carpet: A Expression in Symbols by Alexander Fazio