2009 New Releases
Romanian Rugs Exhibit Opens May 9
CONTACT:
Janet
Peterson, Marketing and Public Relations Director
TEL:
(856)
825-6800, Ext. 108
FAX: (856) 825-2410
down jersey
folklife center at wheatonarts PRESENTS
“Weaving
Cultural Heritage: Romanian Rugs from Oltenia,
Maramures
and MoldAvIa Regions”
Mukherjee visits
Romania often, each time visiting weavers and adding rugs to her collection. She
says, "Greeting the weavers and
their families is like greeting old friends. It is always good to see them
again. Each rug maker has unique and special talents. I have a deep respect for
their dedication and work…the hours they spend in creating a work of beauty.
Their rugs are truly a labor of love.” Her formal training in textiles
and design gives her valuable perspectives in understanding both the traditions
of rug making in Romania as well as contemporary interpretations.
Down Jersey Folklife Center Director, Iveta Pirgova, explains, “The exhibition design reflects a broad definition of cultural heritage as a representation of living expressions and traditional practices, knowledge and skills that groups and communities worldwide have inherited from their ancestors and transmit to their descendants. Weaving traditions are among the oldest forms of humanity’s cultural heritage. They offer individuals and communities a sense of identity and continuity, insofar as the community members preserve and reproduce them.”
The rugs are
displayed to visually illustrate the complex nature of the continuity and change in Romanian weaving traditions. The
rugs are paired in a way that would give the best comparison between
traditional patterns and modern designs, old motifs and contemporary forms,
works of old masters and those of young weavers.
Four types
of rugs are showcased: works which represent reproductions of old museum
pieces; works in which weavers have used mostly traditional patterns, but have
made some changes either in the colors or in the position and the shape of the
basic motifs; works where modern forms and colors prevail, but traditional
elements have also been preserved; and rugs which represent individual and more
abstract ideas of the modern design.
The rugs
represent three different regions in Romania – Oltenia, Moldavia and Maramures
– each with its distinctive style, colors and dominating patterns. There are
the typical floral patterns (often combined with bird motifs symbolizing
prosperity) of Olteni; a piece from Moldavia depicting figures with swords; and
from Maramures, an abundance of motifs that sometimes seem to be designed as
motifs samplers – each motif in its own medallion. The combination of motifs
and colors in all Romanian rugs depends on the usage of the rug – where (home
or church) and for what (ritual or decoration). The intended usage determines
the weaver’s final design.
Romanian rugs tell interesting stories
about the complex process of assimilation of outside motifs and patterns into
the local traditions. Anatolian influence on Romanian design and technique can
easily be recognized in the popular designs of the well-known “Persian carpets”
or “Oriental rugs.” Others, mostly geometric patterns, originated in the
Caucasus region. In all cases they were assimilated into the Romanian tradition
in a modified way. The shape of certain motifs and patterns is often identical
or similar to the Persian or Anatolian ones, but the story behind the form is
different and it is the story of the village where the rugs are woven.
Some of the
common motifs do not spread around through trade and migration. They are the
result of common human experiences or shared beliefs such as the Romanian rugs
motifs representing mountains, rain drops or human figures,
but the names of the mountains would be the ones closest to the weaver’s
village and the humans would be dressed in the local traditional garment. The tree
of life motif, which is common in many cultures, has a specific regional
interpretation in Romania, as is shown in the “Tree of Life” piece made by
Casita Radoi of Oltenia.
The
exhibition is included in the price of admission to WheatonArts. Admission: Adults $10.00, $9.00 Senior Adults
and $7.00 Students. Children five and under are free. Free to shop and stroll
except during outdoor special events. Open Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. For
more information about WheatonArts, call 856-825-6800 or 800-998-4552, or visit
www.wheatonarts.org.
WheatonArts
strives to make exhibits, events and programs accessible to all visitors. Provide
two weeks notice to accommodate needs. Patrons with hearing and speech
disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS)
800-852-7899 or by dialing 711.
The Down
Jersey Folklife Center is a division of Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. Funding
has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the
Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the
Arts, from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and from the Bank of America Foundation.
WheatonArts has also received grant support from the New Jersey Historical
Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State and from
the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.
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