Disco Gol Farang

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE COLLECTION

by JAN KATH

From Russia With Love is a very captivating collection. Inspired by carpets made in Karabakh and other provinces in southern Russia around 1900. The geographical location being on the cusp of Europe and the Middle East makes this collection a testament to the intercultural history of patterns and carpet weaving in the region.

 

It would be difficult to surpass the opulence of this design. Magnificent roses and lavish floral wreaths form the simplistic pattern of the carpet. The petal motifs are reminiscent of the traditional shawls and headscarves still worn by elderly Russian women in rural areas to this day. The patterns are created using rich, bright colors of Tibetan highland wool and Chinese silk, making each final product a unique and emotionally powerful piece of art.

“Disco gol farang” is Jan Kath’s reference to old carpet traditions. “Gol farang” is Persian (Farsi) for “foreign flower.”, in a more precise sense, the word “farang” is a malapropism of the Franks that was used to describe carpets characterized by influences from other countries. It was not uncommon for royal houses in France and Poland to have carpets made in Persia according to their own ideas. In this way, they impacted design ideas in the traditional countries of production.