In addition to being an architect and designer, Joaquim Ruiz Millet is also a writer, filmmaker and gallery director. His Manuscrit Rug (2003) is an expression of all of his passions, and features a romantic poem that he wrote in his native Catalan. Featuring the actual handwriting of the designer, the rug is an enlargement of a page in a novel Ruiz Millet is working on. The designer plays with the dual meaning in this piece. On one hand, the rug is visually engaging and functional, while at the same time, it encourages people to walk on his words; a fragment of a work of fiction about power relationships imbued with highly charged eroticism. When selecting people to contribute to her Black on White Collection, Nani Marquina was inspired by the idea that "there's always a reason to create, to laugh and to reawaken," and she invited the contributors to "express their own essence." Together with the nonprofit Care & Fair, Nani Marquina is fighting against illegal child labor in the manufacturing of carpets. The knot count is 4,320 knots/sq. ft. Made in India.
Materials
100% New Zealand wool; latex adhesive to attach backing.
Nani Marquina studied industrial design at the Massana School and she began her career with a job in interior design. When she couldn't find rugs that were in tune with a client's space, she filled the gap with her own creations, which led to a new career as an independent textile designer. In 1986, she created her own company and showroom in Barcelona.
A superb colorist, Marquina finds inspiration in nature, as well as in the challenge of creating something that hasn't been done before. The designer is also a firm believer that a rug must surprise and captivate, but never be too aggressive. The result is her striking depth in materials, ranging from low pile to long strands of felted wool to die-cut rose petals. In addition to her own work, Marquina's collection includes the work of select contributors, such as Tord Boontje and Joaquim Ruiz Millet. Nani Marquina is known internationally for her textiles and rugs, both of which have been exhibited in New York, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Osaka and Tokyo. Read more >
