Heike Weber is a German installation artist whose sculptural art reinterprets the complex designs of oriental rugs. Using gossamer silicone instead of thread, Weber's "Kilim" series combines traditional Middle Eastern motifs with modern media to create ghostly outlines of the decadent tapestries.
Oriental rugs are typically adored for their intricate patterns and vibrant dyes, but Weber's reimaginations deconstruct these design elements. By sketching the carpets' typical swirls and floral depictions with her stringy white silicon, the artist brings life to the basic repetitive lines that serve as the works' foundation. The resulting floor intallations, titled "Kilim" after the Turkish word for carpet, are then displayed on the grounds of vaulted rooms, sprawled across wood and stone that peek out as negative space amongst the white whorls.
Weber's modern Turkish rugs were inspired by a trip that she made to Turkey during a student exchange program. She became familiar with the traditional patterns used in Middle Eastern architecture and design, and was particularly intrigued by the allure of the Persian rugs sold at nearby bazars to tourists. Instead of buying one of the expensive pieces though, she began her installation series that symbolically reference the clash of of East and West that she experienced at that time.
Heike Weber's "Conquering the Wall - A Contemporary View on Nazarene Frescos" is on view now at the Arp Museum in Germany until September 9th, 2012.
Check out images of Heike Weber's "Kilim" series below. What do you think of her silicone rugs?
