Brightly coloured Berber carpets featured in Marrakech museum

The Yves St Laurent museum on Marrakech has a new exhibition running from June to October 2019, called “Desert Design” that features carpets made by Berber weavers.

The carpets are woven by the women of the Aït Khebbach tribe, in the easternmost region of Morocco, and are made from recycled materials. They are brightly coloured in contrast to the harsh desert environment they call home.

The co-curator of the exhibition, Arnaud Maurieres, explained that he first encountered the Beber weavers in 2010 in the East Moroccan desert. He was taken to the home of his guide Lahcen which consisted of two modest plain structures that housed the nine members of his family. The interior was unpainted and had no furniture. In the corner of a room, he saw a pile or rugs. Maurieres said:

“As they were unfolded to welcome us, the floor suddenly seemed dappled with vibrant colours, which astounded us. Lahcen told us that all the women of his tribe wove such rugs, and asked if we wanted to meet them. It was how our adventure began.”

Nine years later, the carpets woven by the female members of the tribe are featured in a world-renowned museum exhibition.

Like the Berber women, many carpet manufacturers are exploring ways to use recycled materials in their carpets to make them more environmentally friendly. This means that you do not have to travel to Morroco to purchase carpets made with recycled materials. You can brighten up a home with vibrant coloured carpets from Chester, Wrexham or North Wales that are manufactured with respect for the environment.