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BARBARA KOENEN
Biography
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Silk Road war rug installation
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In 2001, when the US invaded Afghanistan, I began recreating Afghani war rugs in public performances. War rugs are a genre that developed in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970s. Weavers, traditionally women, began incorporating images of weapons into their centuries old motifs of geometric, floral and other patterns. Gradually the military motifs overran the carpets, just as it has overpowered the people.
I create these installations using loose spices, inspired by Tibetan Buddhist sand mandalas. They are fragrant and fragile.
At left is an installation done for the Silk Road Festival in Chicago, 2006. The recreation uses poppyseeds, cinnamon, mace, paprika, turmeric and other spices. A fringe with popper firecrackers is attached upon completion.
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Lucky Charms
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I wanted to find a craft tradition that was popular in the US, and explore how that might be affected in times of war the way rug patterns were mutated in Afghanistan. I began crocheting and embellishing hand grenades, creating cosies like my aunt would make to cover up tissue boxes, toilet paper rolls, tea pots and other household items. Like the popularity of camoflage patterned clothing, I speculate on how fashion will evolve as military becomes an accessory.
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Baby's Breath grenade cosy
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Afghan War rug c35 print
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Mashadi war rug print
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I was moved by the tragic nature of the cultural and aesthetic phenomenon of Afghan war rugs, and wanted to feel what it was like to create something so brutal. Taking up to 6 days to complete, the colorful and fragrant installations exist only temporarily. Once complete with fringe and popper firecrackers attached, they are tread upon, but the footsteps only reveal their impermanence.
At first I swept up the installations and poured them into a jar. Later, failed buddhist that I am, I began making prints of the pieces, with footsteps and smears recorded.
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The Mashadi war rug on the right shows what an installation looks like after being walked upon, but before the print is made.
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Mashadi War Rug installation
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